| For immediate release - |
2007-05 |
OTTAWA (January 29, 2007) - The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health, today announced the appointment of Dr. Raymond Rajotte to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Governing Council for a three-year term.
"Dr. Rajotte's extensive medical career has provided him with a thorough understanding of current health concerns faced by Canadians today," said Minister Clement. "I am pleased to welcome him to the Council, and I know that his experience and knowledge will have a great impact on CIHR as it continues to support the strengthening of Canada's health care system."
Dr. Rajotte is highly accomplished in the medical field, holding numerous positions at the University of Alberta, including Scientific Director of the Alberta Diabetes Institute, Professor of Surgery and Medicine, Director and Founder of the Islet Transplantation Group, and Director of the Surgical-Medical Research Institute. He is a respected mentor and a guiding force behind the university's reputation as having one of the top Surgical graduate programs in North America.
Dr. Rajotte earned the Alberta Order of Excellence for successfully transplanting donor islets, or clusters of pancreatic cells, to patients suffering from type1 diabetes, eliminating the need for daily insulin shots. This process, known as the Edmonton Protocol, has been adopted by transplant centres worldwide. Dr. Rajotte holds a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Alberta.
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada's agency for health research. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to catalyze its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to over 10,000 health researchers and trainees across Canada.
The biographies for the members of the CIHR Governing Council can be found on CIHR's website.
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For media assistance contact:
| David Coulombe CIHR Media Relations Tel: 613-948-1380 mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca |
Erik Waddell Office of the Minister of Health Tel: 613-957-0200 |
