Dr. Brian Rowe assumes the position of Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health

OTTAWA, Jan. 18, 2016 /CNW/ - Dr. Alain Beaudet, President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), along with CIHR's Governing Council, announced today the appointment of Dr. Brian H. Rowe, a University of Alberta clinician-scientist, as incoming Scientific Director of CIHR's Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health. This appointment took effect on January 1, 2016.

Dr. Rowe is a Professor of Emergency Medicine and an adjunct member of the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, a practicing emergency physician and a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Evidence-based Emergency Medicine. He is the Scientific Director of the Alberta Health Services' Emergency Strategic Clinical Network, as well as the former Associate Dean (Clinical Research) and co-director of the Evidence-based Practice Centre in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta. Furthermore, until June 2015, Dr. Rowe was a member of the Steering Committee of the Strategy for Patient Oriented Research (SPOR) Alberta SUPPORT Unit.

Over a 25-year career, Dr. Rowe has committed himself to making health care more accessible and accountable to patients living with respiratory illnesses such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pneumonia. He has made patient engagement a priority in his work as an emergency room physician, when developing treatment guidelines and while directing clinical trials, systematic reviews and observational cohort studies. He has upheld the highest standards of quality, integrity and ethics, both as a teacher and a researcher. In particular, Dr. Rowe has devoted much time and energy to mentoring researchers at the beginning of their careers, having supervised over 100 medical and graduate students.    

Dr. Rowe obtained his medical degree and received training in emergency medicine at the University of Ottawa; he completed his graduate research training at McMaster University. He is the author of over 440 peer-reviewed publications and 30 book chapters.

As Scientific Director of CIHR's Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health, Dr. Rowe will work with the Canadian circulatory and respiratory health research community and stakeholders to identify research priorities, develop research funding opportunities, build partnerships and translate research evidence into practice to improve the health of Canadians. Finally, as a member of CIHR's leadership team, he will participate in setting and implementing CIHR's strategic directions.

Quick Facts

• CIHR is comprised of 13 Institutes, each led by a Scientific Director responsible for championing specific areas of health research, establishing and nurturing partnerships, and promoting the use of research evidence to inform policies that support better health for Canadians.
• CIHR's Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health supports research into causes, mechanisms, prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support systems, and palliation for a wide range of conditions associated with the heart, lung, brain (stroke), blood, blood vessels, critical care and sleep. CIHR is one of the leading research funders in this area in Canada.

Quotes

"I'm pleased to welcome Dr. Rowe to the CIHR leadership team. His exceptional reputation in cardiac and respiratory emergency medicine research, coupled with a demonstrated commitment to implementing evidence-based practice, will be invaluable in continuing to advance the work of the Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health and of the Strategy for Patient Oriented Research."

Dr. Alain Beaudet
President, CIHR

"It is an immense honour for me to serve CIHR, the circulatory and respiratory community, and patients as the Scientific Director of this important Institute. Canadian researchers have been world-leaders in these areas of research and my colleagues and I will work diligently to expand the production, synthesis and dissemination of high quality evidence to improve the circulatory and respiratory health of all Canadians.

Brian H. Rowe
incoming Scientific Director, CIHR's Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada's health research investment agency. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened health care system for Canadians. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 13,000 health researchers and trainees across Canada.

SOURCE Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Contacts: Media Relations, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, 613-941-4563, [email protected]; Ross Neitz, Communications Associate, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, 780-492-5986, [email protected]