Julia Levy facts for kids

Julia Levy (born May 15, 1934) is a Canadian scientist. She is known for her work as a microbiologist (someone who studies tiny living things like bacteria) and an immunologist (someone who studies how our bodies fight off sickness). She is also an educator and a business person.

Early Life and Education

Julia Coppens was born in Singapore. Her parents were Guillaume Albert and Dorothy Frances Coppens. In 1940, her father sent her mother and two daughters from their home in Indonesia to Vancouver, British Columbia. He joined them after World War II ended. He had been held in a Japanese prisoner of war camp.

Julia went to school in Canada. She studied immunology and bacteriology at the University of British Columbia. She earned her first degree (a Bachelor of Arts) in 1955. In 1958, Levy earned her PhD (a higher degree) from the University of London. Her PhD was in experimental pathology, which involves studying diseases in a lab. In 1959, she returned to the University of British Columbia. She started as an assistant professor and later became a full professor.

Developing New Treatments

Julia Levy's research helped create a special treatment called photodynamic therapy (PDT). This therapy uses light to treat diseases. At first, it was used to treat cancer. Later, it became very important for treating a common cause of blindness in older people. This eye disease is called age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

In 1984, Julia Levy joined a company called Quadra Logic Technologies (later QLT Inc.). This company works on making new medicines. In 1993, the Canadian government approved a PDT medicine called Photofrin. It was used to treat bladder cancer. Later, other countries, including the United States, also approved Photofrin for different types of cancer.

In the mid-1980s, Dr. Levy and her team found another PDT medicine called verteporfin. QLT and its partner, CIBA Vision (now Novartis Ophthalmalics), developed this medicine as Visudyne. Visudyne helps treat AMD. In 2000, the US FDA approved Visudyne. After that, it was approved all over the world. This new treatment gave eye doctors a way to help patients with certain eye problems that had no other good treatment.

Leadership in Business

Julia Levy was first the Chief Scientific Officer at QLT. This means she was in charge of all the scientific research. From 1995 to 2001, she became the Chief Executive Officer and President of QLT. This made her the top leader of the company. Because Visudyne was so successful, QLT became one of the few biotechnology companies that made a profit in the year 2000.

Dr. Levy has also worked on using her methods to treat other health problems. These include HIV/AIDS, arthritis, and age-related macular degeneration.

Honours and Awards

Julia Levy has received many important awards for her work.

• In 1980, she became a fellow in the Royal Society of Canada. This is a very high honour for Canadian scholars.
• In 2000, she was named Pacific Canada Entrepreneur of the Year.
• In 2001, she became an Officer in the Order of Canada. This is one of Canada's highest awards.
• She has also received the Future of Vision Award and the Helen Keller Award for her work on vision.
• The British Columbia Biotechnology Association gave her a Lifetime Achievement Award.
• Several Canadian universities have given her honorary doctorates.

The Chemical Institute of Canada gives out the Julia Levy Award. This award celebrates successful new ideas in biomedical science and engineering.

Personal Life

Julia Levy is married to Edwin Levy. They have two children.

See also

In Spanish: Julia Levy para niños