It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden and untimely passing of our beloved Danica Stanimirović. Danica passed on January, 17 2024 at the Ottawa General Hospital.
Danica’s life was nothing short of exceptional anyway you look at it.
Danica got the very first public acknowledgment of her talent for math and science in her native Serbia in 1977 when selected, after a grueling entrance exam, as one of only 120 freshmen students of the prestigious Belgrade Mathematical Grammar School. Danica very soon realized that the life has way more to offer besides the “core business” of math and science (in both of which she naturally excelled). During her teenage years, Danica developed love for art. Her literary work was awarded on numerous occasions during her high school and university years. Unknown to many, Danica was also part of a very vibrant Belgrade punk scene in the early 1980s as a keyboard player for a local band named “We want no compromises”. Indeed, throughout her life, she was never willing to make any compromise when it came to her professional or personal integrity.
Danica began her very successful studies of Medicine in 1981 followed immediately by her Ph.D. studies that she pursued in parallel with her clinical residency activities. In 1988 she became the youngest Ph.D. holder in former Yugoslavia, a country of some 23 million souls.
Danica began her North American scientific career in 1991 by successfully completing a two-year postdoctoral stunt at NIH in Bethesda, MD. Her work didn’t get unnoticed by the NRC management and, in the summer of 1993, Danica and her husband Dusan moved North to Ottawa where she would spend over 30 years with the NRC until her untimely departure this past Wednesday.
During her 31 year tenure with the National Research Council in Ottawa, she achieved everything that can be reasonably expected of a human being. At the time of her premature death she was the Director of the NRC’s Translational Bioscience Department where she has led strategic NRC Programs and served on Scientific Advisory Boards of many biopharma companies and numerous international R&D initiatives. Danica was also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Ottawa and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. The Government of Canada recognized her achievements by awarding her the Public Service Award of Excellence in 2023. Danica has authored over 170 manuscripts and holds 22 patents in the field of integrative neuroscience.
While, without a shadow of a doubt, a top notch neuroscientist and a leader, Danica was foremost an exceptional human being. Shy and modest beyond reasonable, Danica would avoid bringing up any of her professional achievements as topics of conversation. It was art, gardening and travels that she enjoyed to chat about. Unconditionally devoted to her husband Dusan, Danica was respected for her intelligence and wisdom and truly loved, by anyone who knew her, for the largesse of her pristine soul.
She was predeceased by her parents Emilija and Branislav. Danica is survived by her husband of 32 years, Dušan Đurić, and her younger brother Dušan Stanimirović (Svjetlana). Danica was the proud aunt of Uroš and Luka.
Visitation will be held at the Beechwood National Memorial Centre, 280 Beechwood Avenue, Ottawa, on Tuesday, January 30, 2024 at 2PM. A Memorial Service will follow in the Sacred Space at 3:00PM, followed by a reception. For those not able to attend the Service in person, the Service will be Live Streamed - you may register here.
Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Danica Stanimirović Memorial Fund.
Digital Guestbook
Melissa J. Schur
Yves Durocher
My sincere condolences to Dana’s family and friends. She was one of the greatest scientists at the NRC and a very kind, sensitive and enthusiastic person. She will be dearly missed by all of us, but her memory will remain strong and continue to inspire our lives.
Michael Hayden
Danica was a most creative , committed , supportive remarkable person .
She brought amazing expertise , insight and knowledge to all our endeavors .
She was also a beautiful , generous person with a keen sense of humor .
She was willing to fight in a gentle but compelling way for what she believed in .
She brought all these special qualities to all our interactions .
We will continue to fulfil the dream she had for Glybera reinvented and now do this in honor of her and her vision .
She is profoundly missed .
We send her husband , family and colleagues our deep condolences .
May her memory continue to be a blessing
Naz Abulrob
Dana was an extraordinary individual whose legacy transcends her professional accolades. As a mentor, role model, and beacon of inspiration, she touched numerous lives. Her engaging conversations often veered away from her own achievements, a true reflection of her modesty and her desire to connect on a more personal level.
Her sudden departure has left an irreplaceable void, yet her legacy is indelible and enduring. Dana’s remarkable contributions to medical research and her vibrant spirit continue to inspire and guide all who had the privilege of knowing her. Embodying the ethos of Marie Curie's words, "Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood," Dana pursued knowledge and understanding fearlessly, illuminating the path for others.
In a deeply personal reflection, I can attest to the lasting impact Dana had on my life. Her unwavering belief in my potential led me, 24 years ago, to Canada at the NRC, where she opened not just the doors of her laboratory but a whole new world of learning and possibilities. Under her mentorship, I developed not only my scientific skills but also gained invaluable life lessons. Her unique blend of brilliance, kindness, and humility made each interaction a deeply enriching experience. The memories, discussions, and wisdom shared during our time together are treasures I will forever hold close. Dana was much more than a mentor to me; she was a guiding light, a source of inspiration, and a cherished friend whose legacy will perpetually live on in my heart and in the hearts of all she profoundly touched.
To her beloved husband Dušan and all her family, I extend my deepest condolences. May the memory of Dana, a brilliant scientist, a cherished mentor, and a wonderful human being, continue to shine brightly in the hearts of all who knew her.
Jon Durkin
Danica, to my mind and to the minds of many, was simply a wonderfully balanced person with a keen sense of humor, an unpretentious confidence in her life and scientific goals, and someone who over the years projected unassuming, yet unwavering, leadership qualities that inspired her many colleagues and friends.
It was certainly my honor and privilege to be, at least in part, responsible for the successful recruitment of Dana from the NIH to the NRC’s Institute for Biological Sciences in 1993. I recall being exhilarated about “enticing” Danica to Ottawa, because even in those early days I felt she possessed personal and scientific qualities that would have a long-term positive impact on our research Group and the Institute. In following her career from afar over the ensuing years, it is abundantly clear that these early thoughts were not only fulfilled, but exceeded many fold.
While my heart is heavy having to write these words under such tragic circumstances, it is a small consolation that she will remain in my memory from this point forward as someone I was proud and privileged to know and admire.
My sincere condolences to Dušan and family.
Rest in Peace Dana
Daniel Desmarteaux
To Danica's family, loved ones and friends, please accept my deepest condolences. I remember her as an energetic, sincere and admirable professional person who earned the respect of all her colleagues at the NRC. She leaves an indelible mark on the hearts of those who had the privilege of knowing her.
Geoff Mealing
Danica was an exceptional person. Many have already written very eloquent descriptions of her accomplishments, as a scientist, as a leader, and as an artist. During the decade that Danica was my boss I found her to be a remarkably generous mentor, who inspired and led by example. She was focused and determined, yet adaptive in the face of challenge. Danica had a wonderful sense of humour and incredibly broad spectrum of interests. Her passing has left a great void, but I am grateful to have known her and to have benefitted from her leadership. My condolences to all, especially to Dušan.
Norman Saunders
I offer my heartfelt condolences to Dana's family, friends and colleagues. I knew Dana from meeting her at conferences and from reading her numerous publications. Dana was clearly an important force in the development of the blood-brain barrier field; she will be greatly missed.
Dale MacMillan
My deepest sympathies to Danica's family, friends and colleagues. She was a truly remarkable person and her impacts will have positive, enduring effects.
John Kelly
Exceptional doesn't even begin to describe Danica. A truly great loss for us all. My sincere condolences to her husband, family, friends and colleagues. May she rest in peace.
My sincere condolences to the family during this difficult time. Dana was an amazing scientist and an inspiration to many. The impact she had in this world, will never be forgotten. Rest in peace.