New leadership takes helm of health sciences research at McGill
Strategic appointments to build on McGill’s international reputation in health sciences research.
McGill has announced three strategic leadership appointments in the Faculty of Medicine to set the course for continued excellence in health sciences research and discovery. The new leadership team will build on McGill’s reputation as the number one university in the medical-doctoral category in Canada and one of the top 10life sciences schools in the world.
Dr. Rémi Quirion, Scientific Director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Institute of Neurosciences , Mental Health and Addiction, as well as of the Douglas Mental Health University Institute Research Centre, is appointed to the newly created position of Vice-Dean for Science and Strategic Initiatives and Senior University Advisor on Health Sciences Research at McGill. Supporting Dr. Quirion are Dr. Marianna Newkirk, the Faculty of Medicine’s new Associate Dean of Research, and Dr. Elaine Davis, in the newly created position of Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies.
“McGill University has pioneered health sciences research for close to 200 years, due to the outstanding scientific talent that we have been able to attract from Quebec, Canada and around the world,” McGill’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Heather Munroe-Blum, said. “With the addition of these valuable individuals to our leadership team, we look forward to making history in this century of biology, as we did in the past century, and fulfilling our mission to deliver outstanding knowledge and service to society.”
“We are on the doorstep of a new era in health sciences research, one where molecular medicine and genomics are unlocking secrets to diseases and disorders that were once thought neither preventable nor curable,” McGill’s Vice-Principal (Health Affairs) and Dean of Medicine, Dr. Richard I. Levin, said. “These are very exciting times, and we are delighted to welcome Drs. Quirion, Newkirk and Davis on board to help us harness the potential and to continue breaking new ground.”
As Vice-Dean for Science and Strategic Initiatives and Senior University Advisor on Health Sciences Research, Dr. Quirion will be lead ambassador for the research enterprise of the Faculty of Medicine and will advise the Faculty on issues spanning the full spectrum of the life sciences. Also a full professor in McGill’s Department of Psychiatry, Dr. Quirion is renowned as a distinguished, innovative neuroscientist, educator and science administrator. One of the most highly cited neuroscientists in the world, he is an international expert in his field, including in aging and Alzheimer's disease as well as central nervous system function. Dr. Quirion’s appointment begins April 1, 2009.
In her role as the new Associate Dean of Research, Dr. Newkirk will provide critical support to Dr. Quirion on all matters related to funding agencies and special funding initiatives. She will also oversee the grant submission process for all Faculty of Medicine researchers. Dr. Newkirk has been an esteemed member of the Faculty of Medicine for more than 20 years, focusing her work on autoimmunity in relation to rheumatic disease. Currently associate professor in McGill’s Department of Medicine, she is also Co-founder and elected President of Immunology Montreal.
In the newly created position of Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies, Dr. Davis will be responsible for the creation of the overall structure and processes to meet the Faculty’s graduate and postdoctoral needs, in tandem with the requirements of the Graduate Postdoctoral Studies Office. A tenured associate professor in McGill’s Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, and a Canada Research Chair, she will also participate in the creation of new graduate programs. Prior to joining McGill in 2002, Dr. Davis was an assistant professor in the Department of Cell Biology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas .
About the McGill Faculty of Medicine
McGill, home to Canada ’s first faculty of medicine, is among the top 10 universities in the life sciences worldwide, as measured by the Times Higher Education - QS World University Rankings. At the forefront of education and research for close to two centuries, the Faculty of Medicine offers undergraduate, graduate and professional programs of the highest academic caliber with the goal of contributing to the well-being of humankind.
About McGill University
McGill University , founded in Montreal , Que., in 1821, is Canada ’s leading post-secondary institution. It has two campuses, 11 faculties, 10 professional schools, 300 programs of study and more than 33,000 students. McGill attracts students from more than 160 countries around the world. Almost half of McGill students claim a first language other than English – including 6,000 francophones – with more than 6,200 international students making up almost 20 per cent of the student body .
On the Web: https://www.mcgill.ca/medicine/