The Boris Family

The University’s 125th anniversary year got off to a terrific start with the $30 million gift from a Hamilton family to accelerate the university’s innovations in health research, education and care making an impact that will last for generations.

Of the total, $24 million is designated to establish The Boris Family Centre in Human Stem Cell Therapies, which will speed the commercial development of discoveries at the McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute. The six–year–old institute has had several major breakthroughs, including the ability to turn human skin into blood.

An additional $6 million is for a unique clinic which will allow patients with complex health problems to see several specialists and have related tests during one visit. Established in partnership with Hamilton Health Sciences, this patient–oriented clinic will be built in the McMaster University Medical Centre in Hamilton and led by a senior research chair.

The Marta and Owen Boris Foundation was established by Marta and Owen Boris who created the Hamilton cable company Mountain Cablevision and developed it over 50 years before selling it to Shaw Communications in 2009. Owen Boris died in April, 2011.