Applied Research@BCIT

http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/40490.html

 
1) President’s Message
a) Strategic Plan – Health Research Roadmap: Creating innovative research for better health and health care
2) News from the VP of Research
a) SSHRC Health Researchers: You can find acceptance, challenge and $$$ at CIHR
3) News from the VP of Knowledge Translation
a) Influenza A (H1N1) Pandemic: CIHR Operational Response
4) CIHR at a Glance – Working for You
a) Quench your scientific thirst
b) November 17, 2009 : Canadian Health Research Awards and Prix Galien Canada Awards
c) CIHR-CMAJ Top Canadian Achievements in Health Research
5) Funding Opportunity News
a) Change in the Michael Smith Prize in Health Research (2009-10) program
6) Peer Review News
a) Revision of CIHR's Peer Review website
7) Links to Institute and Portfolio News
8) Announcements from other organizations
a) Vacancy at the International Agency for Research on Cancer
b) Vacancy at the World Health Organization
  

CIHR embarks on its second Strategic Plan during a period of unprecedented financial and economic uncertainty. It has been particularly rewarding, therefore, to see the widespread conviction expressed on both sides of the 49th parallel that investment in health research is vital to our health, as well as the future growth and competitiveness of our economy.
 
We are building on a solid foundation with this plan. Since 2000, CIHR has energized the health research community, inspired new collaborations across disciplinary and geographic boundaries, and engendered new partnerships between those who conduct research and those who implement its findings.
This could not have been accomplished without the direction and oversight from CIHR's Governing Council and the outstanding leadership from our Scientific Directors who lead the organization's Institutes. They have been instrumental in building Canada's health research capacity through funding strategic multi-institute initiatives, collaborating with partner organizations, and providing forums for discussion, knowledge exchange and direction setting.
 
The Scientific Council - comprised of the Scientific Directors for each of the Institutes, as well as CIHR’s Vice-Presidents and Director of Ethics - has offered important guidance in the development of this Strategic Plan. They have strived to strike a balance between the four pillars of health research (biomedical; clinical; health systems and services; and the social, cultural and environmental factors that affect the health of populations) while ensuring the plan is scientifically sound and relevant to the health of Canadians.
 
This Strategic Plan - Health Research Roadmap: Creating innovative research for better health and health care - is the product of widespread consultations with members of the health research community, careful assessment of CIHR's strengths and weaknesses, ongoing deliberation about where CIHR would like to be in five years, and a sober assessment of the resources available to get us there. Our Health Research Roadmap sets out a vision to secure Canada's place on the world stage of health research for years to come. 

It sets out four strategic directions that will help to achieve CIHR's goals. These strategic directions will enable CIHR to carry out its full mandate in all its complexity, show leadership within the wider health research community, and demonstrate accountability and results to the people of Canada.

How we intend to meet these goals will be detailed in separate implementation plans to be published annually. These implementation plans will describe specific objectives to be met and will provide performance metrics against which progress will be monitored. They will also give us the flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances while reporting on our accomplishments. CIHR's Institutes will also use their strategic budgets - individually, collectively and with partners - to support key initiatives and activities associated with the Strategic Plan. Progress will be reported in the CIHR Annual Report and Departmental Performance Report (both of which are tabled in Parliament) to ensure transparency and accountability.
 
I would like to thank all of those who contributed to the development of our Health Research Roadmap and I look forward to working with all members of Canada's health research community in its implementation.

Alain Beaudet, MD, PhD
President
Canadian Institutes of Health Research