Previous Scientific Director

Dr. Diane T. Finegood

Dr. Diane Finegood is the Scientific Director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes (INMD).

Under her leadership since December 2000, the INMD has guided Canada's health research agenda related to nutrition, metabolism, diabetes, endocrinology, the kidney, the liver and the gastrointestinal tract.  With the support of her advisory board, Dr. Finegood boldly led the way to identifying obesity and healthy body weight research as the sole strategic priority of the Institute.

Her efforts have enabled Canada's obesity research and knowledge transfer capacity to grow due to increased support for research projects, networks, trainees and innovative partnerships with multiple private and public organizations, such as the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Rx&D Health Research Foundation.

Dr. Finegood received her doctoral degree in Physiology and Biophysics from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and holds engineering degrees from the University of Michigan and Northwestern University.

As a Professor and researcher in the School of Kinesiology at Simon Fraser University, she has advanced our understanding of the pathogenesis of type 1 and type 2 diabetes through the use of mathematical modeling. She is now using her expertise and focusing her efforts on resolving the obesity problem by modeling the complex biological, social, cultural and environmental systems involved in regulation of obesity and body weight in individuals and populations.

Dr. Finegood  has received numerous honours and awards for her academic achievements and her leadership contributions, including a Young Scientist Award from the Canadian Diabetes Association; a YWCA Women of Distinction Award in Science, Research and Medicine;  NAASO, the Obesity Society's 2005 George Bray Founder's Award; the Danone Institute's 2005 Distinguished Nutrition Leadership Award; the 2006 Canada's Top 100 Women Award (Trailblazers and Trendsetters Category) and most recently in 2007 she was elected into the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.