Alan Bernstein to leave CIHR in autumn

Ottawa, ON – Dr Alan Bernstein, president of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) has informed Tony Clement, the federal minister of health and CIHR’s governing council that he will be resigning his position, effective October 31, 2007.

Dr Bernstein said that he had completed what he came to Ottawa to do, which was to develop and implement a unique vision and structure for health research that embraces all approaches to health and disease, built on a base of excellence in research. After seven years, CIHR has made significant strides in advancing and transforming Canadian health research. CIHR has become a model for the world as noted in a report tabled in the British Parliament last fall on the organization of health research.

Based on CIHR’s remarkable progress to-date, he said it was now a good time for him to step aside and allow the federal government to seek new leadership for Canada’s flagship health research agency.

“Dr Bernstein has provided exceptional leadership to both CIHR and the health research community. All Canadians are benefiting from CIHR’s important contributions to health research made during Dr Bernstein’s tenure,” said Tony Clement. “The government of Canada remains committed to CIHR and will be moving quickly to find a successor for Dr Bernstein.”

Dr Bernstein became the inaugural president of CIHR in June 2000 following a stellar career as an internationally recognized scientist and research leader.