In Memoriam
Frank Beier
The Schulich Medicine & Dentistry community mourns the passing of Frank Beier, PhD, peacefully with his family by his side on July 18, 2025, at the age of 59. Flags will be lowered to half-mast on Friday, July 25 at Western University in his honour.
Frank Beier, PhD Frank was an award-winning researcher, educator, mentor, and a remarkable colleague. Recruited to Western University in 2001, he built an internationally celebrated research program in cartilage development and osteoarthritis that helped shape the research landscape at Western and beyond.
Frank’s research and leadership were instrumental in putting Western on the map as a leading international centre for musculoskeletal health research. His contributions also expanded the scope of undergraduate and graduate education at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry. These accomplishments were complemented by his visionary leadership and service at the local, national, and international levels including service as Chair of the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology for close to a decade.
Frank was also an avid cyclist who loved nature and travelling. He treasured time spent with his family, especially the many camping trips over the years with his children and grandchildren.
Frank leaves behind a remarkable legacy through the impact he made in the field of osteoarthritis, and his contributions to the field of developmental skeletal biology. Frank’s work in cartilage biology and functional genomics has been celebrated by the international scientific community, culminating in his role as co-chair of the Gordon Research Conference in Cartilage Biology and Pathology (2017). His numerous awards and accolades include the Distinguished University Professor (2024), Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (2022), Fellow of International Orthopaedic Research, the Osteoarthritis Research Society International Basic Science Award (2019), and tenure as the Canada Research Chair in Musculoskeletal Research spanning multiple decades.
Frank’s greatest source of professional pride was his trainees. During his 24 years at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, Frank trained over 120 students in his lab and mentored many more.
In honour of Frank’s memory, Schulich Medicine and Dentistry is establishing an award in his name to support the recruitment of students from equity-deserving groups into basic research in his home department. His legacy of openness, achievement, and thoughtful leadership will live on through this award.
Frank is loved and missed dearly by his family and the many others whose lives he touched.
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David Pomerantz
David will be missed by friends, family and colleagues.
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Michael Poulter
Poulter was a devoted scientist and teacher whose contributions to the School and the research community will be greatly missed.
Recruited to Robarts Research Institute in 2005 as a member of the Neurodegeneration Group, Poulter subsequently joined the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology. His research was internationally recognized for contributing to the understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of epilepsy and depressive disorders. He was developing a new anti-epileptic drug through a start-up company he founded, and was committed to the advancement of science for the betterment of human health.
He served as a member of the Robarts Executive Committee and was an active member of his research group and Robarts Research Institute. Throughout his career, he published more than 70 peer-reviewed manuscripts and was successful in obtaining research funding from CIHR, NSERC, The Ontario Brain Institute, and other agencies.
Poulter was also a dedicated teacher and mentor and made many valuable contributions to undergraduate and graduate training at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry. He served as the Director of the Neuroscience Graduate Program from 2011 to 2014.
Dr. Poulter is survived by his wife Caroline Schild-Poulter and two children.
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Tutis Vilis
Dr. Vilis was born on August 15th, 1947 in Germany to Lithuanian parents. He received the Gold Academic Achievement Award from The Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario while at University of Ottawa and completed his graduate studies in Physiology at McGill University, where he received his Ph.D. in 1972.
He went on to have a remarkable career in academia, making significant contributions to the field of neuroscience. Throughout his career, Dr. Vilis was highly respected for his work on the neurophysiology of eye movements and his research on the neural mechanisms underlying perception and action.
He has won many awards including his innovative course on Human Sensory Physiology, the Award of Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, the UWO Schulich Educator Award (Undergraduate Medical), and the Neurosciences Ear & Eye Award.
Dr.Vilis (Professor Emeritus) was a dedicated and passionate teacher, and his impact on generations of students was immeasurable. He was known for his ability to make complex concepts accessible to his students, and his legacy can be seen in the countless individuals whose lives he touched through his teaching and mentorship.
He is especially proud of his 31 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, 19 of whom have gone on to become university professors across Canada and the world, all now with their own active research programs.
He received the Queen's Jubilee Award for his community service as member of the executive of the Urban League of London and as President of the Masonville Resident’s Association.
In addition to his contributions to science and education, Dr. Vilis was also a gifted artist, and his creativity and passion for the arts were evident in his paintings and wood carvings.
Tutis will be deeply missed by his family, friends, colleagues, Lithuanian community and the scientific community.
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