The Alberta Diabetes Foundation celebrated the vital role Dr Ray V Rajotte has played in diabetes research with an unveiling of a spectacular bronze relief by the outstanding artist Rudiger Schmidt. The bronze relief was unveiled at the University of Alberta in the Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Research Innovation foyer, followed by a champagne reception on May 7, 2015, to a wide group of family, students and peers.
Dr Rajotte, a true Albertan pioneer of diabetes research, from the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, founded the Islet Transplantation Group and was named its director in 1982. The Group's research led to the world renowned Edmonton Protocol, a procedure that has given Type 1 diabetes patients independence from insulin injections for years and vastly improved their quality of life.
Dr Rajotte also spearheaded the establishment of the Alberta Diabetes Institute at the University of Alberta, becoming the founding scientific director in 2004 and overseeing the development of a world-class facility to support collaborative, translational diabetes research. Dr Rajotte has also been a mentor to generations of students, researchers, and surgeons globally.
In a moving speech by former assistant, Rosemarie Henley, she echoed what many colleagues already felt: "Ray, you truly deserve all the accolades, awards and recognition that you have received through your career. I hope that today's celebration in your honour, in a small way, shows how important your contributions have been to diabetes research and still continues to be."