From Lebanon to one of the most prominent fields of medical innovation in Canada, the Lebanese physician and surgeon Wael Hanna continues to record a remarkable presence in the world of medicine and technology, and this time through the portal of the “2026 Baylis Ontario Life Sciences Innovator Award”, after he was chosen among 5 final candidates to receive the award that honors the most prominent pioneers of innovation in the life sciences sector in the province of Ontario.
The award, organized by the Ontario Center of Innovation and sponsored by Baylis Medical Technologies, aims to honor an entrepreneur who leads a life sciences company in Ontario and has succeeded in making a tangible impact in the sector, while popular voting is an essential element in selecting the winner. Voting continues until September 14, 2026.
Hanna, co-founder and chief medical officer of NodeAI, has built his career at the intersection of thoracic surgery and cutting-edge AI technology. More than 10 years of his lung cancer research has turned into the NodeAI project, which works to develop technologies that help doctors diagnose and stage lung cancer, by analyzing endobronchial ultrasound images and providing real-time medical decision support.
Hanna’s career has clear Lebanese roots, as he studied science at the American University of Beirut, before pursuing medicine at McGill University, then specializing in thoracic surgery at the University of Toronto, later becoming one of the prominent names in this field in Canada.
His name was also associated with the development of robotic chest surgery at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, along with his research activity in lung cancer surgery, artificial intelligence, and medical innovation.
Today, Wael Hanna is entering a new race, but this time the result does not depend on the laboratory or the operating room alone.
Voting is open, and every vote is able to enhance the fortunes of a Lebanese doctor who has succeeded in transforming his medical and research experience into an advanced project in the fight against lung cancer.
Hence, the call to the Lebanese in Lebanon and abroad to support Wael Hanna and vote for him, in support of a Lebanese success story that continues to register its presence in the world of medicine and innovation.
Vote now for Wael Hanna via the following link:
https://www.oc-innovation.ca/programs/life-sciences-innovation-fund/
