Fighting on all fronts
A professor at the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph, and long-term firefighter, Dr Jim Petrik has become increasingly aware of the need for both improved firefighter safety programs and research into the reasons for the remarkably high cancer rates in firefighters.
In addition to his academic duties and his position as the Fire chief with the Guelph Eramosa Fire Department, Petrik undertakes a range of leadership and research roles.
As a Tier I Canada Research Chair at the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR), a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, and an Adjunct Professor at McMaster and the University of Western Ontario. He also chairs the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC) Science and Technology Committee and sits on the CAFC Cancer Committee where he helps to incorporate research on firefighter cancer into prevention practices.
Dr. Petrik teaches in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Guelph and oversees a cancer research lab. He is also the Co-Director of the Bench to Bedside Institute for Translational Health Research and Innovation, which seeks to cultivate high-quality research that bridges veterinary and human medicine, fostering discovery, innovation, and collaboration.
A translational cancer researcher, Petrik investigates new approaches to enhance cancer treatment by targeting the tumor microenvironment. His team has developed methods to normalize irregular blood vessel structures in tumors, leading to improved therapy delivery and encouraging outcomes in preclinical trials.
Dr. Petrik has recently been awarded the newly established King Charles III Coronation Medal for his notable contributions to cancer research and firefighter health advocacy.
The CAFC nominated Dr. Petrik for this honour due to his longstanding impact on the firefighting community in Canada.
Photo: Canadian Institute for Health Research
