MUHC researchers appointed to the Ordre national du Québec

Dr. Emil Skamene, scientific director of the Research Institute of the MUHC, and Dr. George Karpati, senior neurologist at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, have recently been awarded the Ordre national du Québec. As announced by Premier Jean Charest, these two clinical researchers were appointed as Knights of the Ordre in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the development of Quebec society. They will receive their insignia at a ceremony at the National Assembly on June 22.

"I congratulate Dr. Skamene and Dr. Karpati — both outstanding citizens, clinicians and researchers," said Dr. Arthur T. Porter, Director General and CEO of the MUHC. "Their work and the work of our whole research community is making huge strides to better understand the disease process and to ultimately improve quality of life for us all."

Dr. Skamene has been the MUHC Scientific Director since 1999 and is also a McGill professor in the Departments of Medicine and Human Genetics. His major contribution to the field of infection and immunity is the identification of genes controlling susceptibility to infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, leprosy and malaria. Dr. Skamene's research models have been applied worldwide to study many infections, as well as to other major diseases with a genetic component.

Dr. Karpati is the Isaac Walton Killam Professor of Neurology in the Faculty of Medicine and director of the Neuromuscular Research Unit at the Montreal Neurological Institute. He is one North America's top neurologists, particularly noted for his expertise on the diagnosis and treatment of neuromuscular disorders, such as muscular dystrophy.

"We are delighted that Dr. Karpati will receive the Ordre national du Quebec. His dedication to research and patient care truly embodies Wilder Penfield's vision for the Montreal Neurological Institute," said Dr. David Colman, Director, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital.

These outstanding individuals are among 43 people named to the Ordre national du Québec on June 1. About 12 members of the MUHC community have been named to the order since its establishment in 1984. For more information on the order and its members, please consult www.ordre-national.gouv.qc.ca.

The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC) is a world-renowned biomedical and health care hospital research centre. Located in Montreal, Quebec, the institute is the research arm of the MUHC, a university health centre affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University. The institute supports over 500 researchers, nearly 1,000 graduate and postdoctoral students, and operates more than 300 laboratories devoted to a broad spectrum of fundamental and clinical research. The Research Institute operates at the forefront of knowledge, innovation and technology and is inextricably linked to the clinical programs of the MUHC, ensuring that patients benefit directly from the latest research-based knowledge. For further details visit www.muhc.ca/research.