Dr. Harvey Alter was the speaker for the 1st Annual Henry and Sylvia Wong Forum in Medicine at McMaster University. Serendipitously, Alter delivered his lecture on Sylvia’s birthday.
As one of the pioneering investigators in the discovery of hepatitis C in the blood, Dr. Alter’s groundbreaking work revolutionized blood safety protocols, ensuring a significant impact on public health. His contributions were widely recognized, with many anticipating his eventual receipt of a Nobel Prize for his seminal discoveries.
The main presentation took place in the auditorium of the newly established Michael O. DeGroote Center for Learning and Discovery. Despite the spacious venue, the room was filled to capacity, with attendees even spilling into the aisles. The lecture was received with great enthusiasm and reverence, and it was a great honor to have Dr. Alter as the inaugural speaker for this lectureship.
Update
Sixteen years afterward, Alter was indeed awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine alongside Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice for discoveries that led to the identification of Hepatitis C virus.