The victim of a fatal stabbing in the city’s downtown core last night has been identified as a 39-year-old cancer researcher and adjunct professor at Ryerson University.

The stabbing happened outside a home on McGill Street, near Yonge and Gerrard streets, shortly before 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night.

Police said the victim, identified Wednesday as Mark Ernsting, was speaking with someone on the street when he was approached by a third person and stabbed.

He was rushed to hospital in life-threatening condition, where he later died.

On its Twitter page Wednesday, the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research confirmed that Ernsting was an employee.

“We are deeply saddened at the passing of Mark Ernsting - a talented researcher and terrific person. Our thoughts are with his loved ones,” the organization said.

According to a video posted on the OICR website, Ernsting was a senior biomedical engineer in the institute’s drug discovery program and was working on nano technology to better deliver tumor-targeting drugs.

In addition to that Ernsting also worked as a adjunct professor with the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science at Ryerson University.

"Those who knew and worked with Mark said he was a wonderful colleague and an excellent researcher. At Ryerson, he worked with graduate students in our electrical and computer engineering department and collaborated on research with faculty member," Interim President Mohamed Lachemi said in a statement. "We are deeply saddened by this senseless, tragic event."

A post shared to Facebook by a friend described Ernsting as “funny, kind, and brilliant” and said he left behind a partner who was ‘the love of his life.’

“This is so incredibly pointless. What a waste. What a loss,” friend Randy Smith wrote.

Toronto police said Wednesday that a suspect in the murder was arrested at the scene of an unrelated incident near Summerhill Avenue and Yonge Street, about an hour after the stabbing.

Calvin Michael Nimoh, 21, has been charged with second-degree murder.

So far, police have not described a possible motive in the killing.

On Wednesday afternoon, Mayor John Tory showed up at the crime scene to leave flowers near the site where Ernsting was attacked.

Anyone with information about the case is being asked to get in touch with investigators.