John Semple

Dr. John Semple is a Professor at the University of Toronto's Department of Surgery that specializes in breast surgery. He was Surgeon in Chief at Women’s College Hospital and Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Chair in Surgical Breast Cancer Research and was Past President of the Canadian Society of Plastic Surgeons.

He trained at OCA (OCAD University) and then enrolled in medical illustration at the University of Toronto. He received his MD degree at McMaster University and then surgical training (Plastic Surgery) at the University of Toronto. He completed an MSc in Experimental Pathology during his residency. Following his surgical training he was a clinical Fellow in Microsurgery at the Toronto General Hospital. He has found his way back to OCAD University and recently served as their Chair of the Board of Governors. He is appointed as Adjunct Faculty and recently was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from OCAD U. Dr. Semple has a strong interest in converging disciplines (Art and Science) as a platform for innovation and areas that have been identified as a focus for improvement in healthcare.

Dr. Semple is recognized nationally and internationally as a surgical clinical leader in Breast Surgery, Breast Reconstruction and Health System Solutions and has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers published in the top clinical and science journals. He has received numerous awards including the Lavina Lickley Life Time Achievement Award from the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto.

He has a keen interest in mountaineering and has published over 18 papers on climate change and global warming in the Himalayas. He has an Adjunct Faculty appointment at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston in Wilderness Medicine and he is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society. Dr. Semple has published a variety of papers on the effect of climate change across the globe and is now investigating similar changes in the Canadian high arctic and the potential impact on health outcomes.