Message from the President - April was great for researchers

April has been a great month for the recognition of health researchers and medical practitioners in Canada.

On April 13, I had the honour of being the Master of Ceremonies at the 12th annual induction ceremony for the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. That evening, the medical community recognized Drs. Alan Burton, William Cochrane, Phil Gold, James Hogg, Vera Peters and Cal Stiller for their immeasurable contributions to the health of Canadians.

For Dr. Stiller, co-founder and director of the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto, it has been a month filled with honours. On April 5th, he also received the 2010 Canada Gairdner Wightman Award.

On April 7, 2010, Her Excellency, the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, invested 43 Canadians into the prestigious Order of Canada. Among that exceptional group of Canadians were six individuals who exemplify excellence in health research and in medical practice: Drs. Ian Smith, Arvind Koshal, Paul Garfinkel, Gary Birch, Byron Rourke and Pierre Théroux.

On behalf of CIHR, I extend my warm congratulations to all these remarkable researchers and physicians.

Sincerely,

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