Canadian Health Research Awards 2013

The Peter Lougheed/CIHR New Investigator Salary Award - Dr. Christian S. Hendershot from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) receives this prestigious award in recognition of his work in examining how genetic data could help treat and prevent addictions, particularly alcohol addictions. This award is presented to Canada’s brightest young researchers at the beginning of their careers; it is CIHR’s most important career development award.

CIHR Partnership Award - Walk away, Ignore, Talk it out and Seek help (WITS), a program designed by teachers and community police officers, receives this prestigious award in recognition of its efforts in turning teachers, students, law enforcement officials and parents into active participants in the effort to reduce bullying. University of Victoria researcher Dr. Bonnie Leadbeater will accept the award. This award recognizes partnerships between organizations that exemplify excellence by bringing health research communities together to create innovative approaches to research, develop research agendas that are responsive to the health needs of Canadians and/or accelerate the translation of knowledge for the benefit of Canadians.

CIHR Knowledge Translation Award - Cochrane Canada receives the CIHR Knowledge Translation Award in recognition of its efforts over the past 20 years to provide physicians and patients with the most up-to-date and credible source of information to guide their treatment choices. The Centre’s Director, Dr. Jeremy Grimshaw, will accept the award. This award honours and supports teams or organizations that make an outstanding contribution to the health of Canadians or to the health system through exemplary knowledge translation.

Canada’s Health Researcher of the Year - Dr. Gordon H. Guyatt, from McMaster University, receives this prestigious award in recognition of his instrumental role in shifting the way doctors practise medicine when he coined the term “evidence-based medicine” (EBM) in 1990. This award is presented to an outstanding Canadian researcher who has demonstrated a high degree of innovation, creativity, leadership and dedication in health research.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada’s health research investment agency. Created in 2000, the 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, the CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 12 600 health researchers and trainees across Canada.

On December 2, 2013, His Excellency presented the Canadian Health Research Awards 2013 to four laureates during a ceremony at Rideau Hall. This ceremony provided an opportunity for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to recognize exceptional people for their remarkable contributions to health research. Gold medals will be presented in the following four categories: the Peter Lougheed/CIHR New Investigator Salary Award; the CIHR Partnership Award; the CIHR Knowledge Translation Award; and Canada’s Health Researcher of the Year.