Donald Branch

Dr. Donald R. Branch received his Bachelor's degrees in Cell & Molecular Biology and Chemistry from San Francisco State University. He obtained his PhD in Immunology from the University of Alberta under Dr. Larry J. Guilbert, having as a member of his defense committee, Nobel Prize winner for Medicine, Dr. Bruce Beutler. Dr. Branch then completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Immunology, focused on signal transduction at the University of Toronto under the mentorship of Dr. Gordon B. Mills. Dr. Branch has a broad history in biomedical research. He is a world renowned immunohematologist having worked extensively over the years on autoimmune hemolytic anemias. He has invented reagents that are standard use in blood transfusion facilities throughout the world and has been internationally recognised for his pioneering work on an in vitro assay of monocyte-macrophage phagocytosis. His recent research uses mouse models of human diseases to focus on the use and mechanism of intravenous immunoglobulins, IVIG; in immune cytopenias, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer's disease. He is developing small molecule drugs that inhibit phagocytosis for treatment of immune cytopenias as well as investigating recombinant immunoglobulin proteins to replace IVIG. Dr. Branch has also contributed much to the understanding of the pathogenesis of HIV/AIDS and was an early member of the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR) as well as the first Director of the Level 3 biocontainment laboratory facility at the University of Toronto resulting in its certification by Health Canada. Dr. Branch has also been active on numerous academic committees as well as the pioneering first Director of the Comprehensive Research Experience for Medical Students (CREMS) programs in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, which has provided for hundreds of 1st and 2nd year medical students to obtain additional research experience while attending medical school. Dr. Branch has received numerous awards and has published more than 150 peer-reviewed papers. Dr. Branch's primary academic appointment is in Medicine with a cross-appointment to Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology. He is also an Affiliate Scientist in the Division of Advanced Diagnostics at the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, a Staff Scientist at University Health Network in the Division of Hematology/Oncology and a Scientist in the Centre for Innovation with the Canadian Blood Services.