Message from the CIHR President - About IHDCYH's Transition

At the end of December 2011, Dr. Michael Kramer, Scientific Director of CIHR's Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (IHDCYH), will conclude his term. Although this transition is still months away, I would like to thank Dr. Kramer for his outstanding contributions.

Under Dr. Kramer's direction, over the last eight years, IHDCYH has pursued a strategic focus on the process of human development. Major strategic initiatives have included pre-implantation reproductive health; healthy and complicated pregnancy; behavioural development, the early origins of mental illness and addiction, and improved access to mental health services for children and youth; a large pregnancy/birth cohort study of indoor air quality and the risk of asthma and allergies; improving quality of life for children and youth with disability; and maternal health. IHDCYH has also prioritized capacity building by supporting new investigators (through start-up grants and career development seminars) and has established important international partnerships with the U.S., Japan, China, India, Finland, and WHO.

In addition to his leadership at IHDCYH, Dr. Kramer has championed several important CIHR-wide causes. Among these, I can't help but mention his passionate advocacy for clinical research in general, and for randomized controlled trials in particular; research on environment and health; applied injury research; and support of new investigators. In all of these causes, Dr. Kramer has demonstrated breadth of vision across all four of CIHR's research themes and an ability to transcend his IHDCYH role for the strategic benefit of the overall CIHR enterprise. He has accomplished these goals with tact, humour, and the universal respect of IHDCYH's research community, its staff and his CIHR colleagues.

Over the coming year, IHDCYH staff in Montreal and Ottawa, the Institute's Advisory Board, and senior CIHR management in Ottawa will be working to ensure that this transition proceeds as effectively as possible. Recruitment for a new Scientific Director for IHDCYH will begin shortly. I am confident that the next Scientific Director will continue the necessary vision and leadership to further build support for reproductive and child health research and the effective translation of research knowledge into improved health and health services for Canadian mothers and children.

Sincerely,
Alain Beaudet, M.D., Ph.D.
President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research