Lap-Chee Tsui

Lap-Chee Tsui helped make molecular medicine feel real for families facing cystic fibrosis. Working in Toronto at The Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto, he was part of the team that identified the CFTR gene, the gene whose mutations cause cystic fibrosis. The discovery gave researchers a target and gave patients a clearer biological explanation for a devastating inherited disease.

The Canadian Identity

His Canadian identity is a story of arrival, excellence, and institution-building. Tsui was born in Hong Kong and built a major research career in Canada, showing how Canadian science is strengthened by global talent. At SickKids, his work connected clinical need to molecular genetics at a time when the Human Genome Project was changing the scale of biomedical research.

The Achievement

The CFTR discovery did not cure cystic fibrosis by itself, but it transformed the field. It made genetic testing possible, sharpened diagnosis, opened new research pathways, and eventually helped enable therapies aimed at the function of the CFTR protein. That is the shape of high-impact medical science: one discovery becomes a platform for many future interventions.

The Legacy

Tsui also became a leader beyond Canada, including work with the Human Genome Organisation and higher education leadership in Hong Kong. For Supers, the centre of gravity remains the Toronto discovery: a Canadian lab helping the world understand disease at the level of DNA.