Dr. Alain Beaudet
President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research Ottawa, Canada

Biography:
Dr. Alain Beaudet, MD, PhD, is the President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). As President, Dr. Beaudet acts both as Chair of the Governing Council and Chief Executive Officer of CIHR. Before joining CIHR in July 2008, Dr. Beaudet was the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec (FRSQ), a position held since 2004.
Among his many accomplishments, Dr. Beaudet built a distinguished career at the world-renowned Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI). He headed the MNI’s functional neuroanatomy laboratory, pursuing basic research into the action mechanisms and role of neuropeptides in the central nervous system, the control of intracellular receptor trafficking and its involvement in neuron signalling and new pain therapies. From 1985 to 1992, Dr. Beaudet was associate director (research) at the MNI. He has also taught in McGill University's Neurology-Neurosurgery and Anatomy-Cell Biology departments. Dr. Beaudet has written more than 175 original articles and some 40 monographs and book chapters.
Dr. Beaudet has received numerous grants and distinctions, including the Killam postdoctoral fellowship, grants from the Medical Research Council (MRC), CIHR and FRSQ, and the Murray L. Barr Junior Scientist Award. In September 2004, he was awarded the Prix Adrien-Pouliot by the Association francophone pour le savoir (Acfas). He served as president of the Canadian Association for Neuroscience from 1995 to 1997 and has sat on many peer review committees, both in Canada (FRSQ, MRC) and elsewhere (National Institutes of Health, Human Frontier Science Program). In 2007, France bestowed the Order of Academic Palms distinguished Officer's award to him and he was made Doctor honoris causa of Université Pierre et Marie Curie.
Dr. Beaudet earned a medical degree and a PhD in neuroscience from the Université de Montréal. He did postdoctoral training at the Centre d’études nucléaires in Saclay, France and the University of Zurich's Brain Research Institute in Switzerland.

Abstract:
Ultimately, health research is about helping people to be healthier. But while there is one definitive destination, there are many paths to get there. It may be through the development of new and better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat disease and promote population health. It may be through providing the evidence that supports the delivery of the health services Canadians need, when and where they need them. And it may be through the commercialization of a health research discovery to make a new product or service available in the marketplace. CIHR supports all of these paths to better health and its new Strategic Plan – Health Research Roadmap: Creating innovative research for better health and health care will provide the direction needed to further Canadian health research.
Dr. Beaudet will be speaking to conference participants regarding CIHR’s new five year strategic plan and how it aligns with the principles set out in the federal government’s S&T Strategy, including: promoting world class excellence; focusing on priorities; encouraging partnerships, and enhancing accountability. Health research has been acknowledged as an area of S&T strength for Canada. As head of Canada’s federal health research agency Dr. Beaudet is committed to ensuring that Canada’s health researchers are well positioned on the international stage and have the tools required to innovate and succeed. Dr. Beaudet will speak about how CIHR’s Strategic Plan will ensure that health research remains a Canadian strength, spurs innovation and promotes health research excellence.