Volunteers are the backbone of CIHR's reputation for excellence. They help to set research priorities and strategic directions, ensure that CIHR funding is allocated only to the very best research proposals, and provide accountability, not only to the people of Canada, the source of CIHR funding, but also to the research community.

CIHR is pleased to recognize the dedication of the thousands of expert and community reviewers, Institute Advisory Board members, university delegates and committee members who so generously volunteered their time and expertise to CIHR in 2007-08. CIHR thanks them for their continuing commitment to improving the lives of Canadians.

Table of Contents

President's Message
Governing Council
Executive Committee
Nominating Committee
President's International Advisory Committee
President's Voluntary Sector Committee
Stem Cell Oversight Committee
Standing Committee on Ethics
Standing Committee on Finance and Planning
Standing Committee on Performance Measurement, Evaluation and Audit
Institute Advisory Boards
University Delegates

Peer Review Committees
Operating Grant Programs
Research Personnel Awards Programs
Strategic Initiatives
CIHR Invited Reviewers Participating by Teleconference
Community Reviewers

President's Message

Since it began eight years ago, CIHR has strived to fund the best ideas from the brightest minds in Canada. Determining which research projects are most worthy of support is a complex undertaking that requires the time and expertise of the research community at large. Fortunately, Canada's health researchers have been extraordinarily generous with their time; the result is a strong and vibrant health research community with a solid foundation.

This past year, each of our 2,400 peer reviewers contributed an average of 15 days work to assessing research proposals submitted to CIHR. That equals 36,000 days of donated work. On any given day, there were more than 90 researchers across the country giving their time and knowledge to ensure that CIHR funds the best research possible.

In addition to the peer reviewers, there are a small but growing number of volunteers from outside of the research community who sit on CIHR's peer review panels. These community reviewers help give Canadians a stronger voice in the research funding process. They evaluate the summaries of research proposals from a lay person's perspective, help peer reviewers communicate the importance of proposed projects to Canadians and serve as witnesses to the transparency and accountability of the peer review process.

CIHR will continue to improve the way we conduct peer review. We are dedicated to implementing a funding process that promotes excellence in research, creates new knowledge, facilitates the translation of that knowledge into benefits, and builds a research community rich with talent and ingenuity. As we move forward with Blueprint II, our strategic plan for the upcoming years, we will need the support of our volunteers to help us succeed in our vision.

The contributions of our peer and community reviewers represent an incredible asset to our country's research community and to Canadians in general. Their work is essential for CIHR to deliver on its mandate to improve Canadians' lives through health research.

Pierre Chartrand, PhD
Acting President
Canadian Institutes of Health Research

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Governing Council

CIHR's Governing Council is chaired by CIHR's President and comprises up to 20 Canadians who have been appointed by Order-in-Council to renewable three-year terms. Council members represent a wide range of backgrounds and disciplines, reflecting CIHR's broad mandate and vision.

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Executive Committee

The Executive Committee exercises all powers and performs all duties of Governing Council between meetings of the Council to ensure the orderly flow of business and implementation of decisions, except for those specific responsibilities that cannot be delegated by Governing Council.

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Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee oversees the nomination process for seeking members for Governing Council, any standing committee or working group established by Governing Council, and members of the Institute Advisory Boards.

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President's International Advisory Committee

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) President's International Advisory Committee (PIAC) was established to provide high-level national and international perspectives and advice on matters pertinent to the advance of Canada's health research agenda. It serves as an important forum for identifying long-range health trends, emerging research fields and global health issues and opportunities. Committee members are internationally recognized health researchers and senior leaders and policy-makers from the public and private sectors in Canada and abroad.

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President's Voluntary Sector Committee

The President's Voluntary Sector Committee (PVSC) works to maximize the effectiveness of working relationships and partnerships between CIHR and the voluntary sector to in turn increase the benefits of health research.

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Stem Cell Oversight Committee

The Stem Cell Oversight Committee (SCOC) will review human stem cell research funding applications submitted to CIHR and approved by CIHR's peer review committees, using considerations set forth in Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Research: Guidelines for CIHR-Funded Research. In addition, it will review stem cell research proposals submitted by other public or private granting agencies, by mutual agreement.

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Standing Committee on Ethics

The Standing Committee on Ethics (SCE) will identify for Governing Council emerging ethical issues of strategic relevance with respect to health and health research. It will also provide Governing Council with high-level strategic advice on the ethical, legal and socio-cultural dimensions of CIHR's mandate as set out in the CIHR Act, at its own initiative or at the request of the Governing Council or the President.

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Standing Committee on Finance and Planning

The Standing Committee on Finance and Planning (SCFP) is mandated by Governing Council to provide direction and oversight of CIHR's financial, budgeting and strategic planning activities.

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Standing Committee on Performance Measurement, Evaluation and Audit

The Standing Committee on Performance Measurement, Evaluation and Audit (SCPMEA) is mandated by Governing Council to provide oversight of CIHR's policies on evaluation, performance measurement and internal and external audit activities.