Welcome back to my podcast, Queen Citizens.
Today marks the third episode of Boss Ladies in Health Care, a series where I celebrate pioneering women and girls transforming the medical field.
I'm Odette and today I'm shining a light on another surgical tool.
The brilliant mind behind this invention is Dr. Nicole Look Hong.
To begin, I want to share Dr. Leuk Hong's educational background.
Dr. Leuk Hong's academic journey began with a Bachelor's of Science in Life Sciences and a minor music from Queen's University in the year 2000.
So combining the arts and sciences, she exemplifies the multi-disciplinary approach that often leads to groundbreaking innovations.
I love this a lot because for many of us, we are told not to study arts or at least I was told this, but I think it's good to like consider arts and science because it opens more doors.
And I like how with the arts you can be really creative.
Moving on, in 2004, she earned her MD from the University of Toronto, one of Canada's leading medical schools.
She went on to complete a Master's of Science in Clinical Epidemiology from the same institution in 2008, followed by a residency in general surgery in 2010.
Lastly, she completed her fellowship in 2012 at Harvard University.
So as we can tell, Dr. Look Hong's did not attend cheap schools.
So most of her studies have been in Canada and the fellowship as we know was completed in the States.
So let's move on to the invention itself.
One of Dr. Look Hong's most notable contributions to the medical field is the development of MOLLI, a device that has revolutionized surgical oncology.
Developed in collaboration with Dr. Anath Ravai and Mr. John Dillon at Sunnybrook, MOLLI addresses a critical need in tumor localization during surgery.
The device works by inserting a tiny magnetic marker into the tuner.
During surgery, a small wand is used to identify the location and exact depth of the marker, guiding surgeons precisely on where and how deep to cut.
This innovation has significantly improved surgical outcomes, making procedures more accurate and less invasive.
MOLLI led to the founding of MOLLI Surgical, a spinoff company from Sunnybrook Research Institute.
Today, the device is used in hospitals across North and Central America and the Caribbean, helping countless patients with its advanced technology.
In 2022, MOLLI was named one of Time Magazine's best innovations of the year, highlighting its importance and its impact making in healthcare.
So before signing off, I just want to say to anyone listening, you do not need a bunch of degrees to build a company or make a product.
Dasia was just 17 when she made her invention, while Ann was 15.
What I like about inventors is that they see a problem that needs a solution, and they like to collaborate with people of other fields.
So I want to thank you for tuning in today's episode of Boss Ladies in Healthcare.
Stay tuned for more inspiring stories of women leading the way in the medical field.
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So until next time, continue to stay inspired, and I will see, hopefully, have you tuning in soon. Bye!