Regenerative Medicine Alliance of Canada welcomes the appointment of Dr. Rod McInnes as acting President of CIHR

April 3, 2017 – The Regenerative Medicine Alliance of Canada (RMAC) welcomes the announcement of Dr. Rod McInnes as Acting President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Dr. McInnes is a distinguished health researcher and world leading medical geneticist.

“On behalf of the stem cell and regenerative medicine research community, it is with pleasure that I congratulate Dr. McInnes on taking on this important role with CIHR,” said Dr. Michael Rudnicki, Interim Chair of RMAC. “He is well respected throughout the health research community for his commitment to collaboration and research excellence. I am confident that Rod will provide steady and positive leadership in the weeks and months to come,” added Dr. Rudnicki.

A new evidence based report by the Council of Canadian Academies found that Canada punches above its weight in regenerative medicine. If Canada is to continue to compete globally in fields such as regenerative medicine, CIHR must be equipped with the leadership, resources and outstanding processes that serve as the backbone for a robust health research enterprise. Dr. McInnes is well positioned to support CIHR in meeting these requirements.

Dr. McInnes is the Director of the Lady Davis Institute of the Jewish General Hospital at McGill University. He has furthered the understanding of the molecular basis of retinal and eye development, and to the identification of genes and processes associated with inherited retinal degenerations.

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About the Regenerative Medicine Alliance of Canada: RMAC is a voluntary organization comprised of national, provincial and regional organizations that are committed to building a robust regenerative medicine sector in Canada. All members have mandates relevant to stem cell research and/or regenerative medicine. The founding members include: BC RegMed; CCRM; Canadian Stem Cell Foundation; the Centre for Drug Research and Development; CellCan; Medicine by Design; Ontario Institute for Regenerative Medicine; ThéCell; and Stem Cell Network. Regenerative Medicine is commonly described as the process of replacing, engineering or regenerating human cells, tissues or organs to establish or restore normal function.

About the Stem Cell Network: Supporting and building Canada’s stem cell and regenerative medicine research sector has been the raison d’etre of the Stem Cell Network (SCN) since its inception in 2001. Its work has been supported by the Government of Canada from the beginning. SCN’s mandate is to act as a catalyst for enabling the translation of stem cell research into clinical applications, commercial products and public policy. In just over 15 years SCN has forged a national community that has transformed stem cell research in Canada, brought research to the point where regenerative medicine is changing clinical practice and established an outstanding international reputation. SCN has pushed the boundaries of what was a basic research area towards translational outcomes for the clinic and marketplace. www.stemcellnetwork.ca

Contact:
Cate Murray
RMAC Secretariat, SCN Director of Communications, External Affairs