Rolando Del Maestro Farewell Reception
The Neuro invites you to a Farewell Reception to honor Rolando
Del Maestro.
Rolando Del Maestro, MD, PhD
Dr. Rolando Del Maestro, a renowned neurosurgeon specializing in
the treatment of brain tumours, came to The Neuro in 2000. He
holds the William Feindel Chair in Neuro-Oncology and is a
Professor in both the Department of Neurosurgery & Neurology
and Oncology at º«¹úÂãÎè. Dr. Del Maestro is the
Director of the Brain Tumour Research Centre at The Neuro and a
member of the MUHC’s Neuro-Oncology Program.Â
Dr. Del Maestro’s research deals with tumour invasion, focusing on
the invasiveness of malignant glial cells. Malignant glial tumours
are complex cellular microenvironments containing one large
localized aggregation of tumour cells and smaller subpopulations of
invading tumour cells. Failure to control these subpopulations of
invading tumour cells may be the key reason for local and distant
recurrence after radical resection and may contribute substantially
to the failure of other modalities of treatment such as
radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Dr. Del Maestro was a key
figure in establishing The Neuro’s Neurosurgical Simulation Centre
collaborating with the National Research Council to develop virtual
reality simulations for brain tumour surgery.
Known for his compassion and dedication, excellence in the care and
treatment of patients has always been a priority for Dr. Del
Maestro. He and his wife, Pam, have worked tirelessly to
raise awareness for brain tumours in Canada and
internationally. They are founding members of the North
American Brain Tumor Coalition and, along with Steve Northey,
founded The Brain Tumor Foundation of Canada. This Foundation has
become Canada’s leader in providing brain tumour information and
support for patients as well as providing much needed financial
support for brain tumour research. In 2000, Pam and Dr. Del Maestro
were selected as Heroes of Health Care by the National Post and
Siemens Canada Limited for their contribution to the care of brain
tumour patients. Dr. Del Maestro’s dedication has also
inspired his patients and their families. Many have created
Foundations and community events to raise funds and awareness for
brain tumours. They have created a Neuro-Oncology Fellowship along
with two postgraduate studentships which will continue to
contribute to the excellence in brain tumour research at The
Neuro.
Dr Del Maestro has received many honours including the Paul Harris
Fellowship from Rotary International for his contributions to
National and International Community Service. Dr. Del Maestro is a
dedicated teacher having trained a multitude of fellows, PhD
students, Master’s students and residents from around the world. In
2006 he was awarded the First º«¹úÂãÎè Neurosurgical Resident
Teaching Award. Dr. Del Maestro retired from his clinical practice
in brain tumour surgery in December of 2011. He continues his
research and work with Neurosurgical Simulation Centre.
Dr. Del Maestro has a keen interest in the anatomical studies of
Leonardo da Vinci and is a Curator of the Osler Library of the
History of Medicine at º«¹úÂãÎè. He has held exhibitions at the
Library and the Leonardo Da Vinci Centre in Montreal.