Since her appointment to INMD in late 2000, she has guided Canada's health research agenda related to nutrition, metabolism, diabetes, endocrinology, the kidney, the liver and the gastrointestinal tract.  In consultation with an advisory board, she led the way to identifying obesity and healthy body weight research as the sole strategic priority of the institute.  The community of researchers tackling this complex problem has been enhanced and vitalized through distribution of approximately $20 million to more than 60 different researchers and research groups.  An important part of this effort has been establishment of collaborative partnerships with various organizations who share similar mandates, including the Canadian Diabetes Association, the Kidney Foundation of Canada, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.
 
As professor in the School of Kinesiology at Simon Fraser University, Dr. Finegood has authored over 100 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, and to date has mentored about 70 of Canada's current and future health researchers.  She is also Director of the Beta Cell Apoptosis and Autoimmunity Research Network, funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.  During the course of her career, she has secured more than $9.5 million in grants and funding for research.

She holds a doctoral degree in Physiology and Biophysics from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles), and engineering degrees from the University of Michigan and Northwestern University.
 
Dr. Finegood is the recipient of numerous awards, including the George Bray Founder's Award from NAASO, the Obesity Society; Vancouver YWCA Woman of Distinction Award in Science, Research and Medicine; the Canadian Diabetes Association Young Scientist Award; and career awards from the Medical Research Council of Canada and the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research.

Term end: December 31, 2007