2017 INDUCTEE F. Estelle R. Simons, MD Infectious Disease, Allergy & Immunity

Born:

April 26, 1945

(Vancouver, British Columbia)

Education:

MD, University of Manitoba (1969)

Awards & Honours:

2018: American Academy of Pediatrics Award for Allergy and Immunology Research

2015: Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada

See All Awards

Advanced the field of allergy and clinical immunology on an international scale

An icon in the field of allergy and immunology

Dr. Estelle Simons is renowned for career-long research on management of allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis and anaphylaxis. As new medications were developed for these diseases over the years, she led a team that conducted innovative clinical pharmacology studies in patients of all ages, correlating blood concentrations with effects in body organs and confirming the scientific rationale for dosing. Most of these medications proved to be effective and safe and to this day they remain widely used around the world. With her colleagues in immunology, Dr. Simons also elucidated mechanisms associated with allergen sensitization and studied novel agents for immune modulation.

Key Facts

A leading international authority on anaphylaxis who conducted landmark epinephrine studies

Published more than 600 peer reviewed articles and book chapters and edited six textbooks

Gave more than 300 invited presentations at universities, research institutes and congresses in 48 countries

Received more than 60 awards and honours for her work

Recognized annually from 1998 -2003 in Best Doctors in America and annually from 2003 - 2015 in Best Doctors in Canada

Professional timeline

Impact on lives today

Dr. Simons’ innovative research contributed to transformation of the pharmacologic management of allergic diseases from empiricism to science, mitigation of the global allergy epidemic, and alleviation of suffering. Through career-long leadership of national and international organizations and programs, she was an inspirational advocate of knowledge translation and science-based management of allergic diseases.

2023

May 4, 2017
Estelle Simons inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame

Québec City, Québec
2005
Dr. Simons made history as the first foreigner to be elected as President by the Fellows of the America Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
Leadership in Organizational Development
2000
Dr. Estelle Simons began her 15-year commitment to the World Allergy Organization Board
Global Health
During this time she served several terms on the Board of directors and chaired international research and education initiatives on anaphylaxis.
1991
Dr. Simons’ research on asthma, the airways and anaphylaxis led to many other international appointments during the next 30 years
Infectious Disease, Allergy & Immunity
These included appointments to expert panels at the National Institutes of Health (US) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease and appointments as a consultant on World Health Organization initiatives and collaborative projects.
1989 - 1991
Chair, Allergy Section of the Canadian Pediatric Society
1988
Began her six-year term as the Chair of the Clinical Immunology Specialty Committee of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
1982 - 1984
The first woman to serve in this role, Dr. Simons became the President of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
1975
Dr. Simons completed fellowship training at the University of Washington and returned to the University of Manitoba as a clinician scientist

She was appointed as the Founding Section Head of Allergy and Clinical Immunology in the Department of Pediatrics.