Ironically, Dr. Locksley McGann was born in Jamaica, where melting was far more common than freezing. Dr. McGann is recognized as a world leader and innovator in cryobiology, which is the study of the effects of very low temperatures on living organisms. He has studied how living cells respond to low temperatures, how cells and tissues can be preserved at low temperatures and the uses of these techniques. It’s for his scientific innovation and contributions in transplantation medicine particularly that Dr. McGann is being recognized.

In 1964, Dr. McGann moved to Canada with his family. After two years of post-doctoral work with a internationally-acclaimed cryobiology research group in the U.K., Dr. McGann came to the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Applied Sciences at the University of Alberta. He and his wife, Margo, and family settled in Spruce Grove in 1975. Dr. McGann has held appointments at the UofA in the Departments of Surgery, Medicine and Food Sciences, at the University of Calgary in the Department of Surgery, at the Canadian Blood Services in the Research and Development Department and at the Jiamusi Medical College in China in Pathophysiology.

Dr. McGann’s Masters and Doctorate students have gone on to make their own valued contributions in science and medicine.

In addition to the application of his work in the banking of cells and tissues for transplant, Dr. McGann has done research in methods used to preserve skin for the treatment of severe burn victims, and articular cartilage for patients requiring joint resurfacing or replacement. His pioneering work has led to innovations in cryopreservation of stem cells. Dr. McGann is the founding and current Laboratory Director of the Canadian Blood Services Hematopoietic Stem Cell Laboratory, which processes and stores bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cells for transplant. Dr. McGann has also worked in conservation of biodiversity in threatened and endangered animals.

Dr. McGann, we may not understand what you do, but we recognize its importance to preserving life. Spruce Grove honours your achievements.