Description: (Canadian Scientist and Down Syndrome Researcher)
Irene Ayako Uchida was a pioneering Canadian scientist and Down syndrome researcher. She completed her PhD in human genetics at the University of Toronto in 1951 and worked at the Hospital for Sick Children, where she studied twins and children with Down syndrome. In the 1960s, she made significant contributions to understanding the link between abdominal X-rays in pregnant women and chromosomal birth defects. Uchida held various academic and research positions, becoming a respected professor and director of cytogenetics laboratories at different institutions. She was recognized as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1993 for her impactful research on radiation and human chromosome abnormalities.