Juhn Atsushi Wada

{{Infobox scientist

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|size=100%|OC}}

| image =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1924|03|28}}

| birth_place = Tokyo, Japan

| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|04|22|1924|03|28}}

| death_place = Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

| citizenship = {{hlist|Japan|Canada}}

| alma_mater = Hokkaido University

| known_for = {{hlist|Epilepsy|human brain asymmetry}}

| awards = {{ubli|Companion of the Order of Canada|Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Star|Lifetime Achievement Award of the International League Against Epilepsy and the International Bureau for Epilepsy}}

| workplaces = {{ubli|Hokkaido University|University of Minnesota|Montreal Neurological Institute|University of British Columbia|Centre nationale de la recherche scientifique}}

}}

Juhn Atsushi Wada {{post-nominals|OC}} (March 28, 1924 – April 22, 2023) was a Japanese–Canadian neurologist known for research into epilepsy and human brain asymmetry, including his description of the Wada test for cerebral hemispheric dominance of language function.{{cite book|last1=Debus|first1=Allen G.|title=World Who's who in Science: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Scientists from Antiquity to the Present|date=1968|publisher=Marquis-Who's Who}} The Wada Test remains the gold standard for establishing cerebral dominance and is conducted worldwide prior to epilepsy surgery.

Wada was a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences at the UBC Faculty of Medicine. He has edited 11 books and published over 300 papers on human brain asymmetry, the neurobiology of epilepsy, and kindling.

Biography

Juhn Wada studied medicine at Hokkaido University, qualifying as a Doctor of Medicine in 1946 and qualifying as a Doctor of Medical Science in 1951. He was an assistant professor of neurology and psychiatry at Hokkaido University after which he worked at the University of Minnesota and the Montreal Neurological Institute before settling at the University of British Columbia in 1956, becoming Professor of Neurology.

Wada established the first Seizure Investigation Unit in 1979 and the Epilepsy Surgical Program at UBC Hospital which serves patients across Western Canada. He was an attending neurologist at Vancouver General Hospital and UBC Hospital. He served as Director of the EEG Department at UBC Hospital from 1969 to 1994 and Director of the Seizure Investigation Unit from 1980 to 1994. He was career investigator and associate of the Medical Research Council of Canada from 1963 to 1994.{{WhoNamedIt|doctor|3132|Juhn Atsushi Wada}}

Wada died in Vancouver on April 22, 2023, at the age of 99.{{cite web |title=In Memoriam: Dr. Juhn Wada, Professor Emeritus |url=https://psychiatry.ubc.ca/in-memoriam-dr-juhn-wada-professor-emeritus/ |website=The University of British Columbia |access-date=29 April 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Andrew-Gee |first1=Eric |title=Doctor Juhn Wada revolutionized epilepsy surgery |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-doctor-juhn-wada-revolutionized-epilepsy-surgery/ |website=The Globe and Mail |access-date=29 December 2023 |date=4 May 2023 |quote=Dr. Wada died on April 23 after a short illness, at the age of 99.}}

= Presidencies =

1975-2001: Founding President, Vancouver Society for Epilepsy Research
1977–79: Founding President, [https://claegroup.org/ Canadian League Against Epilepsy (CLAE)]Blume, W., Carmant, L., & Poulter, M. O. (2009). [https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0317167100008805 A tribute to Dr. Juhn Wada.] The Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences / Le Journal Canadien Des Sciences Neurologiques, 36(Suppl2), S1–S1.[https://canadianleagueagainstepilepsy.wildapricot.org/resources/Documents/CLAE_Scientific_Meeting_Program.pdf 2017 Scientific Meeting Program: Celebrating 40 Years]. (2017) Canadian League Against Epilepsy, Vancouver.
1977–79: President, Western Institute of Epilepsy (USA)
1985–86: President, [https://www.acns.org/ American Clinical Neurophysiology Society]{{Cite web|url=https://www.acns.org/about-acns/history/past-presidents|title=Past Presidents {{!}} American Clinical Neurophysiology Society|website=www.acns.org|access-date=2019-02-03}} (née American EEG Society)
1988–89: President, [https://www.aesnet.org/ American Epilepsy Society]{{Cite web|url=https://www.aesnet.org/sites/default/files/file_attach/AboutAES/AnnualReports/ae.2005annualreportWEB.pdf|title=American Epilepsy Society 60 Years - 2005-2006 Annual Report|year=2006|website=American Epilepsy Society|page=19|access-date=2019-02-03|archive-date=2017-08-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829174626/https://www.aesnet.org/sites/default/files/file_attach/AboutAES/AnnualReports/ae.2005annualreportWEB.pdf|url-status=dead}}

Awards and honours

1976: Distinguished Service Award from the Epilepsy Foundation of America
1976: Lennox Award, Western Institute of EpilepsyUniversity of British Columbia. (1976). [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/pdfs/ubcreports/UBC_Reports_1976_04_07.pdf University of British Columbia: The President’s Report 1975-76] (p. 28).University of British Columbia. (1976). [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/pdfs/ubcreports/UBC_Reports_1976_04_07.pdf UBC Reports (No. Vol 22, No 14)] (p. 5). Vancouver.
1978: Gold Medallion from the International League against Epilepsy
1978: [http://square.umin.ac.jp/jes/pdf/jesawards.pdf Juhn and Mary Wada Prize] established by the Japan Epilepsy Society
1981: [https://www.ilae.org/about-ilae/awards/ambassador-for-epilepsy-award Ambassador for Epilepsy Award] by the International League Against Epilepsy and the International Bureau for Epilepsy
1992: Officer of the Order of Canada{{Cite web|url=http://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/146-3922|title=Mr. Juhn Wada, O.C., M.D., F.R.C.P.C.|last=Office of the Secretary to the Governor General|website=The Governor General of Canada|access-date=2019-02-03}}
1985: Order of Sacred Treasure of Japan, Gold and Silver Star{{Cite web|url=https://vancouversun.newspapers.com/image/496385638/?terms=wada&match=3|title=Vancouver specialist gets Japanese award|last=Fong|first=Petti|date=May 1, 1995|website=newspapers.com|publisher=Vancouver Sun|page=B7|language=en|access-date=2019-02-03|url-access=subscription }}
1998: Wilder Penfield Gold Medal Award{{Cite web|url=https://claegroup.org/resources/Documents/Fillable%20Form%20-%20Wilder%20Penfield%20Award%202017.pdf|title=Wilder Penfield Award|website=claegroup.org}} by the [https://claegroup.org/ Canadian League Against Epilepsy]Wada, J. A. (2007). [https://claegroup.org/resources/Pictures/CLAE_history.pdf A Brief History of the Canadian League Against Epilepsy (CLAE)]. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725174120/http://clae.org/imports/pdf/CLAE_history.pdf|date=2011-07-25}} at the CLAE website.
1998: [https://www.aesnet.org/research/research_awards/epilepsy_research_recog_awards/past_award_winners William G. Lennox Award] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619151408/https://www.aesnet.org/research/research_awards/epilepsy_research_recog_awards/past_award_winners |date=2019-06-19 }} of the [https://www.aesnet.org/ American Epilepsy Society]
2001: [https://www.acns.org/about-acns/history/awardees Herbert H. Jasper Award] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190204065916/https://www.acns.org/about-acns/history/awardees |date=2019-02-04 }} of the [https://www.acns.org/ American Clinical Neurophysiology Society]
2002: Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal{{Cite web|url=http://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/125-40472|title=Mr. Juhn A. Wada, O.C., M.D., F.R.C.P.|last=Office of the Secretary to the Governor General|website=The Governor General of Canada|access-date=2019-02-03}}
2003: Doctor of Science Honoris Causa from the University of British Columbia{{Cite web|url=http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/hdcites/hdcites13.html#wada|title=UBC Archives - Honorary Degree Citations - 2003-07|website=www.library.ubc.ca|access-date=2019-02-03}}
2012: Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal{{Cite web|url=https://www.med.ubc.ca/faculty-members-awarded-queen-elizabeth-ii-diamond-jubilee-medals/|title=Faculty members awarded Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medals|date=2012-08-31|website=UBC Faculty of Medicine|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-03}}
2013: [https://www.ilae.org/about-ilae/awards/lifetime-achievement-award Lifetime Achievement Award] of the International League Against Epilepsy and the International Bureau for Epilepsy{{Cite web|url=https://www.ilae.org/about-ilae/awards/lifetime-achievement-award/juhn-wada-2013|title=Lifetime Achievement Award - Juhn Wada (2013) // International League Against Epilepsy|website=www.ilae.org|access-date=2019-02-03}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.med.ubc.ca/juhn-wada-wins-lifetime-achievement-award-for-epilepsy-research/|title=Juhn Wada wins Lifetime Achievement Award for epilepsy research|date=2013-03-22|website=UBC Faculty of Medicine|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-03}}
2019: Vancouver Coastal Health Medical Staff Hall of Honour{{Cite web|url=http://medicalstaff.vch.ca/vancouver-medical-staff-honour-luminaries-and-visionaries/|title=Vancouver medical staff honour luminaries and visionaries|date=2019-02-07|website=VCH Medical Staff|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-08}}{{Cite web|url=https://psychiatry.ubc.ca/2019/02/07/32469/|title=Congratulations to Dr. Juhn Wada, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences on his induction into the Hall of Honor at Vancouver General Hospital {{!}} Department of Psychiatry|website=psychiatry.ubc.ca|access-date=2019-02-08}}

References

Category:1924 births

Category:2023 deaths

Category:Canadian neurologists

Category:Japanese emigrants to Canada

Category:Japanese expatriates in the United States

Category:Officers of the Order of Canada

Category:Physicians from Tokyo