Dr. Nancy Edwards is the new Scientific Director of CIHR’s Institute of Population and Public Health

Dr. Pierre Chartrand, Acting President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), along with CIHR’s Governing Council, announced today the appointment of Dr. Nancy Edwards as incoming Scientific Director of CIHR’s Institute of Population and Public Health (IPPH). This appointment is effective July 1, 2008.

“Dr. Edwards is a welcome addition to the CIHR leadership team,” said Dr. Chartrand. “Her accomplishments in the field of public health research in Canada and internationally will build upon the solid foundation created by the Institute of Population and Public Health over the last seven years.”

Nancy Edwards is a Professor in the School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, and the Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Edwards is also Senior Scientist at the Institute of Population Health and Elisabeth Bruyère Research Institute, and Academic Consultant for the City of Ottawa’s Public Health Services. She was the inaugural Director of the Population Health PhD program at the University of Ottawa and currently holds a Chair in Nursing funded by the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Government of Ontario. Over the years, Dr. Edwards has been appointed to a variety of board positions in Canada and internationally.

“I am honoured and delighted to have this opportunity to serve the population and public health research community,” said Dr. Edwards. “I look forward to working with the other Scientific Directors, the CIHR team, and all the Institute of Population and Public Health stakeholders and partners to drive forward the programs that will allow Canada to advance its research and innovation agenda for the benefit of Canadians. By working together, we can build upon the outstanding foundations set by Dr. John Frank, the Institute’s inaugural Scientific Director.”

Through her research in the fields of falls prevention, maternal and child health, tobacco control and HIV and AIDS, Dr. Nancy Edwards has contributed many insights to the design and evaluation of complex community health programs. Her work has spanned four continents. She is presently the lead investigator on a research project in sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean to strengthen local health systems for HIV and AIDS. Dr. Edwards has contributed to over 115 peer-reviewed and 100 technical publications and presented nearly 300 conference papers. In 1997, she received the Tianjin Hai He award from the Tianjin Municipal Government in China for outstanding contributions by a foreign professor. In honor of her contributions to “long-term changes in policy and practice” the Mayor of the City of Ottawa proclaimed “Nancy Edwards” Day in 2006. In 2007, she received the University of Ottawa Research Excellence Award and became a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. She is the recipient of the 2007-2008 University of Ottawa Distinguished Professor award.

“I would like to thank Dr. Frank for his extraordinary leadership and vision in establishing the Institute of Population and Public Health,” added Dr. Chartrand. “Over the past seven years, Dr. Frank has brought a new energy to the population and public health research endeavour. John’s sound scientific advice contributed to establishing the Public Health Agency of Canada, creating six national Collaborating Centres for Public Health. John did his work with rigour, enthusiasm, a collegial and inclusive approach, and a unique sense of humour.”

“After seven years as inaugural Scientific Director for IPPH, I can say it has been the best job I ever had,” said Dr. John Frank. “As I prepare to hand over the reins of the Institute to the next Scientific Director, I am proud to see that since 2001, the Institute has been able to take an active part in the substantial re-structuring of public health in Canada. As of July of this year, I will be taking on new challenges as the Director of a new Medical Research Council Unit on Public Health Research and Policy in Edinburgh.”

CIHR is comprised of 13 Institutes, each led by a Scientific Director responsible for championing health research at the highest levels of international excellence, establishing and nurturing partnerships, as well as fostering effective communication and knowledge dissemination.