Dr. Stuart Foster Wins Ernest C. Manning Awards Foundation's “Award of Distinction”

Calgary, Alberta – In recognition of his innovative concept of micro-ultrasound and its contribution to field of preclinical micro-imaging, Dr. Stuart Foster has won the 2006 Ernest C. Manning Awards Foundation’s “Award of Distinction”. The award, which includes a $25,000 prize, will be presented to Dr. Foster at the annual gala awards dinner today in Calgary, AB.

“Dr. Foster’s unique and innovative work in the area of high-frequency microultrasound, first created within the academic environment of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and then commercialized successfully by VisualSonics, exemplifies the type of Canadian innovation that the Manning Innovation Awards recognize”, says Bruce Fenwick, Executive Director of the Ernest C. Manning Awards Foundation. “We are proud to announce and celebrate Dr. Foster as the recipient of our 2006 Award of Distinction.” The Foundation was created in 1980 to promote and support Canadian innovation. Since 1982, the foundation has presented over $3.6 million in prize money through its annual awards program with $165,000 being awarded this year.

“I must recognize the critical contributions of the many students and research engineers who made the new technology possible”, says Dr. Stuart Foster, senior scientist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Professor and Associate Chairman, Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto. “I am equally indebted to the talented team at VisualSonics that has commercialized this technology and helped to make it a key platform in the global research and pharmaceutical marketplace”. Dr. Foster is also Founder, Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer of VisualSonics.

"It takes great drive and commitment to propel discovery through to translation and have such a substantial, internationally felt impact. More than that, it takes great vision and leadership, qualities Stuart exemplifies," says Dr. Michael Julius, Vice-President, Research, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. "His scholarship and preeminence in the field of ultrasound imaging is recognized worldwide."

“What started as a very innovative concept by Dr. Foster a number of years ago is now the basis for VisualSonics’ technology platform which is being used by 300 plus institutions worldwide,” said VisualSonics President and CEO Tom Little. “Stuart’s ongoing scientific contribution to VisualSonics and to the scientific community at large is significant and we are thrilled that he is being recognized with a Manning Innovation Award of Distinction for his efforts.”