Canada's Health Researchers of the Year: CIHR Michael Smith Prizes in Health Research

The Canada's Health Researcher of the Year: CIHR Michael Smith Prizes in Health Research consists of a medal and a research grant of $100,000 per year for five years. Awarded annually to two outstanding Canadian researchers who have demonstrated a high degree of innovation, creativity, leadership and dedication in health research, the Prizes provide world-class researchers with funding to pursue critical research and to support and mentor trainees.

Dr. Michael Smith

The Canada's Health Researcher of the Year: CIHR Michael Smith Prizes in Health Research honour the memory of the late Dr. Michael Smith, who shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1993. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his discovery and development of a crucial technique, known as site-directed mutagenesis, which is used in genetic engineering. His discovery enabled researchers to gain enormous insights into the structure and function of genes and proteins.

Throughout his career, Dr. Smith strongly encouraged young people to pursue science as a career, and he used his prize to promote science, encourage women to pursue interests in science and support research on severe mental illnesses, especially schizophrenia.

Who is eligible?

To be eligible for consideration for the Canada's Health Researcher of the Year: CIHR Michael Smith Prizes in Health Research, individuals must have at least 10 years of experience as an independent investigator and hold a position within a Canadian academic, hospital, not-for-profit or governmental institution or affiliated research institution. They must have worked in Canada for at least the five continuous years before the nomination deadline.

Any one individual may receive the five-year award only once.

Nomination Procedures

Each candidate must be nominated by a member of the Canadian health research community and endorsed by the executive head of the candidate's institution. Candidates may be nominated on more than one occasion provided they still meet the eligibility requirements.

Please refer to Nomination Information [ HTML | PDF (108 KB) | Help ] for the Canada's Health Researcher of the Year: CIHR Michael Smith Prizes in Health Research for details.

Past Recipients of the Canada's Health Researcher of the Year: CIHR Michael Smith Prizes in Health Research

2008
Prize Recipients:
Dr. Michael Hayden for Biomedical and Clinical Research
Dr. Peter Tugwell for Health Services and Systems and Population Health Research

2007
Prize Recipients:
Dr. Francis A. Plummer for Biomedical and Clinical Research
Dr. Peter A. Singer for Health Services and Systems and Population Health Research

2006
Prize Recipient:
Dr. Robert E. W. Hancock

Finalist:
Dr. Peter Singer

2005
Prize Recipient:
Dr. Janet Rossant

Finalists:
Dr. Robert Evans
Dr. Salim Yusuf

2004
Prize Recipient:
Dr. Sergio Grinstein

Finalists:
Dr. Wayne Lautt
Dr. Serge Rossignol

2003
Prize Recipient:
Dr. Brett Finlay

2002
Prize Recipient:
Dr. Anthony Pawson