For immediate release-
2008-39
OTTAWA (October 20, 2008) - Dr. Alain Beaudet, President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), along with CIHR's Governing Council, announced today the appointment of Dr. Malcolm King as incoming Scientific Director of CIHR's Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health (CIHR-IAPH). This appointment is effective January 1, 2009.
"Dr. King is a welcome addition to the CIHR leadership team and he joins us at a critical time given the growing recognition at all levels of society of the need to address Aboriginal issues, particularly health," said Dr. Beaudet. "His accomplishments in Aboriginal health research and respiratory health research will build upon the solid foundation created by the CIHR-IAPH over its first phase of development."
Malcolm King, a member of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, is a professor and an Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) Senior Scholar in the Pulmonary Medicine Division of the Department of Medicine at the University of Alberta (U of A). He also heads the U of A's Aboriginal Health Care Careers program and chairs its University Aboriginal Advisory Council. He is the Principal Investigator of the Alberta ACADRE Network for Aboriginal health research training, as well as a researcher in respiratory diseases. He also served as one of the founding members of the CIHR Governing Council from its creation in June 2000 until June 2004.
Dr. King completed a PhD in polymer chemistry at McGill University in Montreal and fellowships at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, and the Meakins-Christie Laboratories at McGill University. He has been a guest professor at several prestigious universities including the University of Freiburg (Germany), the University of São Paulo (Brazil), the University of Bern (Switzerland) and the University of Auckland (New Zealand). His areas of research interest include respiratory health issues among Aboriginal peoples, health service delivery to vulnerable populations, the interaction of education and health, airborne disease transmission and chronic obstructive lung diseases. He is the author of some 160 scientific papers and has supervised some 20 biomedical trainees.
"I'm delighted to have the opportunity to serve the Aboriginal health research community in this way. I'm committed to work within CIHR and with our many partners in promoting good health and well-being for First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada and for indigenous peoples abroad through research and knowledge exchange," said Dr. King. "I fully support the principle of community participation in research, and I respect the knowledge and abilities that communities have. I believe that working respectfully with communities will help to achieve CIHR's quest for excellence in research that meets the health needs of all Canadians."
"I would also like to thank Dr. Jeff Reading for his extraordinary leadership and vision in establishing CIHR-IAPH," added Dr. Beaudet. "Over the past eight years, Dr. Reading has been instrumental in nurturing the growth of the Aboriginal health research community. His work has helped launch an exciting and innovative new program to increase the number of Aboriginal peoples entering the field of health research and expand capacity across Canada for this type of research. He was also responsible for the creation of CIHR's ethics guidelines for Aboriginal health research, the first federal funding guidelines developed for Aboriginal health research, which will ensure that Aboriginal communities are involved in the research process, that the research is culturally appropriate and that the participating communities benefit from the research."
"As the founding scientific director of the CIHR-IAPH I have had the privilege to observe and participate in the phenomenal transformation of health research in Canada. Governing Council and Dr. Beaudet have made a great choice in the appointment of Dr. Malcolm King as the new scientific director. I am certain that Malcolm will take aboriginal health research on a new and exciting path," said Dr. Reading. "I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to all institute advisory board members who supported the IAPH, the amazing group of fellow scientific directors, senior management and corporate staff and to the IAPH professional staff for their hard work, dedication, expertise and experience."
CIHR is comprised of 13 Institutes, each led by a Scientific Director, responsible for championing health research at the highest levels of international excellence, establishing and nurturing partnerships, as well as fostering effective communication and knowledge dissemination. CIHR's Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health (CIHR-IAPH) is dedicated to supporting research and building research capacity in aboriginal peoples' health.
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada's agency for health research. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health-care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to nearly 12,000 health researchers and trainees across Canada.
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For further information:
David Coulombe
CIHR Media Relations
Phone: 613-941-4563
Cell: 613-808-7526
Fax: 613-954-6653
E-mail: mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
