Dr. Rae Yeung appointed Scientific Director of CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis
News release
July 14, 2025 — Ottawa, Ontario — Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Today, Dr. Paul Hébert, President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), announced that Dr. Rae Yeung has been appointed Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (CIHR-IMHA) for a term of four years, starting October 1, 2025.
Dr. Yeung is one of the world’s leading experts on childhood inflammatory diseases. She is a Professor of Paediatrics, Immunology and Medical Science at the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine, and a Staff Physician and Senior Scientist at The Hospital For Sick Children (SickKids). Her research focuses on precision medicine in childhood arthritis and rheumatic diseases, tailoring treatments to each patient based on presentation and biology.
By pairing phenotype with molecular insights, Dr. Yeung is uncovering the mechanisms that drive autoimmunity, with the goal of improving diagnosis, treatment, outcomes and prevention. With this innovative approach, Dr. Yeung has become internationally recognized for translational research that has transformed the clinical care of Kawasaki Disease and other inflammatory conditions.
Dr. Yeung also leads national and international efforts to develop guidance for the diagnosis and management of disease and to understand the underlying causes and progression of childhood arthritis and vasculitis. She is the driving force behind the Understanding Childhood Arthritis Network (UCAN), an international federation of research networks that involves over 50 countries with translational research hubs on three continents. UCAN has become a scalable model to improve health in many inflammatory conditions — from those affecting bones, joints and muscles to diseases associated with COVID-19.
During Dr. Yeung’s term, CIHR-IMHA will be located at SickKids in Toronto.
Quotes
“I am delighted to welcome Rae Yeung to CIHR’s leadership team. As a paediatrician and scientist, Dr. Yeung has made significant advances in understanding childhood inflammatory diseases and translating her research from the bench to the bedside. Her commitment to excellence, leadership skills, and passion for helping patients will be tremendous assets as we pursue our mandate to improve the health of Canadians.”
Dr. Paul Hébert
President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research
“We are proud to welcome the CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis to SickKids and honoured to support Dr. Yeung in this pivotal leadership role. This appointment recognizes her unwavering dedication to uncovering the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie childhood inflammatory diseases and advancing precision medicine through translational research. As Scientific Director, Dr. Yeung will build on this foundation to support researchers in driving new discoveries in musculoskeletal health and arthritis for the benefit of all Canadians.”
Dr. Stephen Scherer
Chief of Research, SickKids
“I’m pleased to offer my congratulations to Dr. Rae Yeung on her appointment as Scientific Director of CIHR-IMHA. As a clinician-scientist, her exceptional leadership in translational research has transformed how we understand and treat autoimmune disease, leading to better outcomes for children and families. She brings a powerful vision to this national role and will help drive innovation and improve health for communities across Canada.”
Dr. Lisa Robinson
Dean, Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Vice Provost, Relations with Health Care Institutions, University of Toronto
“I am so very honoured and incredibly grateful for the trust and confidence placed in me to serve the CIHR-IMHA community. CIHR support has been a cornerstone of my career, enabling me to pursue research and contribute to advancements in health. I have had the privilege of applying lessons learned from basic, translational and clinical research to transform care for children and families living with arthritis and musculoskeletal diseases. CIHR has not only facilitated the development of innovative solutions but also laid the groundwork for collaborations that amplify the impact of my work in Canada and beyond. I am looking forward to working with everyone in our IMHA family together with the CIHR leadership team to realize our shared vision of a healthier future for all through research.”
Dr. Rae Yeung
Staff Physician, Senior Scientist, SickKids
Professor of Paediatrics, Immunology and Medical Science, University of Toronto
Quick facts
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CIHR is composed of 13 Institutes, spanning all areas of health research.
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Each Institute is led by a Scientific Director who is a leader in their respective field and has a mandate to champion and support health research, knowledge mobilization, and capacity development at the highest level of scientific excellence.
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Scientific Directors continue to be active researchers throughout their terms, devoting 50% of their time to CIHR and Institute duties and the remaining time to their research activities.
Contacts
Media Relations
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
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