Message from Dr. Alain Beaudet, CIHR President, about Dr. Rémi Quirion’s Departure from CIHR

At the end of July 2011, Dr. Rémi Quirion, Executive Director of the CIHR International Collaborative Research Strategy for Alzheimer's Disease (ICRSAD), will conclude his term.

Dr. Quirion has taken up a new post as Quebec's Chief Scientist, reporting to the Ministry of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade. He will also be Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Fonds de recherche du Québec.

I would like to thank Rémi for his outstanding contribution to CIHR, notably his exceptional vision and work for Alzheimer's disease research and his dynamism to Canadian neurosciences, mental health and addiction. I would also like to congratulate him for his recent appointment.

In 2009, Dr. Quirion successfully launched ICRSAD and to date, he and his team have established a number of national and international partnerships to reduce the personal, social and economic impact of Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. For eight years, he was also the inaugural Scientific Director of CIHR's Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction. In this role, he championed emerging health trends and issues critical for society and made CIHR a sought-after partner for large scale initiatives in workplace mental health and regenerative medicine. For his leadership and reputation, he has also received international acclaim and numerous awards throughout his career, including the Prix Galien Canada for excellence and innovation in pharmaceutical research in Canada and the Heinz Lehmann Award from the Canadian College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

"It has been a great privilege to lead the International Collaborative Research Strategy for Alzheimer's Disease, one of CIHR's Roadmap Signature Initiatives," said Dr. Quirion. "With an aging population and the high number of people afflicted by Alzheimer's, it is imperative to continue supporting scientific collaborations in this field between researchers in Canada and internationally."

CIHR will announce the new ICRSAD champion shortly, an outstanding individual who will build on this initiative's successes.

Sincerely,

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