James Rutka
James Rutka, MD, PhD – Canada

Biosketch – Dr. James T. Rutka

Born in Toronto, and educated at Princeton University (1975-1977), and Queen’s University Medical School (1977-1981), Dr. Rutka did an internship at McGill University (1981-1982) before entering the University of Toronto Neurosurgery Training Program in 1982. His training included a research fellowship at the Brain Tumor Research Centre, the University of California San Francisco where he obtained his PhD in Experimental Pathology (1984-1987). Upon conclusion of his neurosurgical residency 1989, Dr. Rutka did a clinical fellowship in microvascular neurosurgery with Dr Kenichiro Sugita at the University of Nagoya, and a post-doctoral research fellowshipin molecular immunology at Juntendo University, Tokyo (1990).

Dr. Rutka assumed his appointment in the Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery in 1990, and has been on the surgical staff at the Hospital for Sick Children in the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery since that time. Dr. Rutka’s primary research and clinical interests relate to the science and surgery of human brain tumors. His recent clinical interests have centred on the surgical treatment of epilepsy in children. He has over 400 peer reviewed publications. His laboratory has been continually funded since 1992.

In 1999, Dr. Rutka was promoted to Professor in the Department of Surgery, and was appointed Chairman of the Division of Neurosurgery at the University of Toronto. From 1999-2011, Dr Rutka held the Dan Family Chair in NeurosurgeryIn 2006, Dr Rutka was awarded the International Order of Smile, an award which honours individuals for their care and aid of children. In 2009, he was the Honored Guest at the Congress of Neurological Surgeons’ Annual Meeting. In 2010-11, Dr Rutka served as President of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. In 2011, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. That same year, he became President of the World Academy of Neurological Surgery, and the American Academy of Neurological Surgery. In April 2011, Dr. Rutka was appointed to the position of RS McLaughlin Chair in the Department of Surgery for a 5 year term. In 2013, Dr Rutka was inducted as a Member of the Order of Ontario, and became the first Canadian to be appointed as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Neurosurgery. In 2015, he received the Robert L. Noble Award from the Canadian Cancer Society, and was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.