Message from Dr. Bhagirath Singh on III's Transition

Over the past eight years as the founding Scientific Director (SD) of the CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity (III), it has been an honour for me to serve the infection and immunity research community in Canada. During this time, III has built research capacity in key areas, advanced our understanding of major infectious diseases and immune disorders, forged national and international research partnerships, and helped Canada respond to a number of serious infectious disease outbreaks. We also helped new investigators in infection and immunity through New Investigator forums to help launch their careers and get to know their fellow researchers across the country.

Since it was established in December 2000, the Institute has been at the forefront of some of this country's and the world's most pressing public health issues particularly SARS and pandemic influenza. We have leveraged Canadian research capacity and facilitated rapid and effective responses to national crises and emerging challenges. We have helped public health officials respond to outbreaks of the SARS virus, mad cow disease (BSE), and the West Nile virus. We played leadership roles in establishing the Canadian SARS Research Consortium, catalyzing the creation of a national network, and developing a pandemic preparedness research agenda and more recently developing the Canadian Microbiome Initiative and Canadian Vaccine Initiative. In addition, we have continued to provide leadership to various federal initiatives in responding to the global challenges of HIV/AIDS through the creation of the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Advisory Committee (CHARAC) and participating in the Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative (CHVI). We have worked closely with various partners to support Hepatitis C research in the country. These accomplishments have helped us demonstrate the vital importance of infection and immunity research and helped us channel new research investments to our research community.

But as the recent food borne microbial outbreaks of listeriosis reminds us, CIHR must continue to address these issues through research that supports evidence-based healthcare and policy decision making. CIHR must also continue to work on helping Canadians affected by immune disorders, such as asthma, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis and to replace diseased organs through transplantation or tissue regeneration. The Institute has positioned itself to react quickly to future challenges and opportunities. With input from the research community, our partners and stakeholders the Institute has developed and implemented two strategic plans over the past eight years. These plans support what continues to be the Institute's ultimate goal: to improve health care for all Canadians through the best evidence-based care and scientific advice available.

As CIHR will be recruiting a new SD for III, I thank our Institute staff in London, Ontario and Ottawa and current and past members of our Institute Advisory Board (IAB) for their support, dedication and commitment to make our effort such a success. I also thank our partners and the research community for their guidance, advice and help with various initiatives they helped us to launch.

Dr. Bhagirath Singh
Scientific Director, CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity