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The just-appointed head of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research says “everything is on the table” when it comes to looking at how the health sciences funding agency supports scientific research in Canada.
Dr. Michael Strong, the dean of Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, begins a five-year term as president of CIHR in October. Strong’s order-in-council appointment was announced by the federal government this week.
The 60-year-old physician-researcher takes over after a period of controversy and discontent surrounding CIHR that culminated in open revolt by scientists in 2016 and a meeting called by then-health minister Jane Philpott aimed at getting both sides to talk and move forward.
Things have settled down since then. A widely criticized reform ending face-to-face peer reviews in favour of an online system was scrapped. And the health-research funding agency saw a significant funding commitment in this year’s budget — $354.76 million over the next five years and $90.1 million per year after that.
Strong said his experience as a clinician researcher gives him an important perspective on the work supported by CIHR.
He said bringing back a program to train physician-researchers is among his first priorities. CIHR’s decision to cut a 30-year-old program that trained doctors to work as scientists in 2015 was widely condemned as short-sighted. Strong said such a program “is the best investment you can make to ensure all of this incredible science gets to the bedside and vice versa.” He said such a program should not be limited to helping MDs earn PhDs, as was the case in the past.
Strong also emphasized that CIHR, while the main driver of health-centred research in Canada, is not the only one. “We want investigators to be looking around the world as well.
“We simply can’t afford to fund every single investigator in the country. Given that, how are investigators, how are universities and research institutes working to help find that support? It is not easy, but money does not grow on trees.”
And Strong said all funding programs will be looked at to see how effective they are and how they fit in to the organization’s goals.
Former president Alain Beaudet, who was the focus of criticism by some, stepped down in 2017. The post has been held since then by interim president Dr. Roderick McInnes and now acting head and CIHR executive vice-president Michel Perron.
The appointment of a new president has been widely anticipated.
With almost four months until he formally takes over, Strong’s appointment is already proving to be unconventional. In an interview, he said he plans to spend four days a week in Ottawa and the fifth day doing research in London. Strong acknowledged being president of the CIHR is “full-time and beyond” job, but notes his workday starts at 6 a.m. and ends at 7 p.m., and he often works between 9 p.m. and midnight. “I was able to do this and run a medical school and see patients.”
Strong has also negotiated an unusual agreement as part of his hiring. His lab at Western, which conducts research into ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, will receive $250,000 a year operational funding for the length of his five-year term as president, plus one additional year.
Perron confirmed the grant to Strong’s lab, saying CIHR “heard very clearly the importance of a president having a close connection to the research community. We are delighted that Dr. Strong was appointed, given his track record and work history.”
Strong indicated that he would like to continue playing an active role in research and that he would require operating funds to do so. Perron said the grant was awarded before he was appointed president, and will continue until one year after he is done, because, as president, he is not allowed to apply for CIHR funds.
Perron called the deal, which has met conflict of interest and ethics guidelines, an “appropriate mechanism” to attract an outstanding, active researcher to the post.
He called it part of Strong’s “negotiated terms of employment,” and one that has been done in other parts of the world.
Researchers contacted by this paper welcomed the appointment, although some have raised concerns that Strong will not start until Oct. 1 and intends to do the job four days a week.
epayne@postmedia.com
查看原文...
Dr. Michael Strong, the dean of Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, begins a five-year term as president of CIHR in October. Strong’s order-in-council appointment was announced by the federal government this week.
The 60-year-old physician-researcher takes over after a period of controversy and discontent surrounding CIHR that culminated in open revolt by scientists in 2016 and a meeting called by then-health minister Jane Philpott aimed at getting both sides to talk and move forward.
Things have settled down since then. A widely criticized reform ending face-to-face peer reviews in favour of an online system was scrapped. And the health-research funding agency saw a significant funding commitment in this year’s budget — $354.76 million over the next five years and $90.1 million per year after that.
Strong said his experience as a clinician researcher gives him an important perspective on the work supported by CIHR.
He said bringing back a program to train physician-researchers is among his first priorities. CIHR’s decision to cut a 30-year-old program that trained doctors to work as scientists in 2015 was widely condemned as short-sighted. Strong said such a program “is the best investment you can make to ensure all of this incredible science gets to the bedside and vice versa.” He said such a program should not be limited to helping MDs earn PhDs, as was the case in the past.
Strong also emphasized that CIHR, while the main driver of health-centred research in Canada, is not the only one. “We want investigators to be looking around the world as well.
“We simply can’t afford to fund every single investigator in the country. Given that, how are investigators, how are universities and research institutes working to help find that support? It is not easy, but money does not grow on trees.”
And Strong said all funding programs will be looked at to see how effective they are and how they fit in to the organization’s goals.
Former president Alain Beaudet, who was the focus of criticism by some, stepped down in 2017. The post has been held since then by interim president Dr. Roderick McInnes and now acting head and CIHR executive vice-president Michel Perron.
The appointment of a new president has been widely anticipated.
With almost four months until he formally takes over, Strong’s appointment is already proving to be unconventional. In an interview, he said he plans to spend four days a week in Ottawa and the fifth day doing research in London. Strong acknowledged being president of the CIHR is “full-time and beyond” job, but notes his workday starts at 6 a.m. and ends at 7 p.m., and he often works between 9 p.m. and midnight. “I was able to do this and run a medical school and see patients.”
Strong has also negotiated an unusual agreement as part of his hiring. His lab at Western, which conducts research into ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, will receive $250,000 a year operational funding for the length of his five-year term as president, plus one additional year.
Perron confirmed the grant to Strong’s lab, saying CIHR “heard very clearly the importance of a president having a close connection to the research community. We are delighted that Dr. Strong was appointed, given his track record and work history.”
Strong indicated that he would like to continue playing an active role in research and that he would require operating funds to do so. Perron said the grant was awarded before he was appointed president, and will continue until one year after he is done, because, as president, he is not allowed to apply for CIHR funds.
Perron called the deal, which has met conflict of interest and ethics guidelines, an “appropriate mechanism” to attract an outstanding, active researcher to the post.
He called it part of Strong’s “negotiated terms of employment,” and one that has been done in other parts of the world.
Researchers contacted by this paper welcomed the appointment, although some have raised concerns that Strong will not start until Oct. 1 and intends to do the job four days a week.
epayne@postmedia.com
查看原文...
