B.Sc. (Pharm): University of Manitoba; M.Sc.: University of Manitoba; Ph.D.: University of California, San Franscisco, USA
Jake Thiessen is a former Professor, Associate Dean, and current Professor Emeritus at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto. Following 33 years at the University of Toronto, he spent 6 years at the University of Waterloo (UW) where he had strategic responsibility for the development of a new Health Sciences Campus and Canada’s 10th School of Pharmacy.
Jack Thiessen specialized in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, which basically describe quantitatively those forces that affect how the body handles medicines and how medicines affect the body. The dynamic of these two areas influences strategies around patient treatment regimen in all disease states. Research collaborations included some years working with medical oncologists and basic scientists at Princess Margaret Hospital.
Mr. Thiessen’s broad experience has included international projects in areas like Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Nigeria, the role of CCAPP President, Chair for the Drug Quality and Therapeutics Committee of the Ontario Ministry of Health, and Chair for Health Canada’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Bioavailability and Bioequivalence. Currently he serves Health Canada as the Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Pharmaceutical Sciences and Clinical Pharmacology. Most recently, he served the Ontario Minister of Health and Long Term Care as an independent reviewer of the under-dosing of oncology medicines discovered in Ontario. In recognition of his lifelong service as educator, researcher, mentor, innovator and leader he was honoured with the 2014 Canadian Pillar of Pharmacy Award.