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2006 Health Canada Science Forum - Speaker Profiles

Pierre-Gerlier Forest, Chief Scientist of Health Canada

Biography: Pierre-Gerlier Forest, PhD, is Health Canada's Chief Scientist. As such, he advises the Minister of Health and the Deputy Minister, Health Canada on science and research issues of interest to the Department. He also identifies and monitors scientific priorities. In addition, his office supports other Health Canada branches in the planning and evaluation of their scientific activities.

Before being appointed Chief Scientist, Pierre-Gerlier Forest was the G.D.W. Cameron Visiting Chair, a position he held from 2003 to 2005. This Chair, which is associated with Health Canada, gives a renowned Canadian researcher the opportunity to actively participate in the development of health policies. During his term as the Cameron Visiting Chair, Pierre-Gerlier Forest worked specifically to develop exchanges between the Department and the scientific community, by promoting meetings and the sharing of knowledge between policy-makers and researchers.

A researcher recognized in Canada and abroad for his publications and his work in the areas of health policy and the governance of health care organizations and systems, Pierre-Gerlier Forest held the position of Director of Research, Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada (Romanow Commission). From 2001 to 2003, he was also the regional officer (Quebec) of the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation. He spent most of his academic career at Université Laval, where he is a full professor in policy analysis and public management with the Department of Political Science.

Pierre-Gerlier Forest obtained his Master's degree in Political Science at Université Laval (1984) and his PhD in history and socio-politics of science at Université de Montréal (1989). In the years following his post-doctoral studies (Manchester Business School), several governments and numerous organizations from the health sector have called on his expertise, particularly in the areas of primary care and knowledge management. In addition, he has actively contributed to science in Canada by regularly participating in the research assessment committees of major funding agencies.

See 2006 Proceedings - Address by the Chief Scientist

Hélène Goulet, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Health Products and Food Branch (HPFB)

Biography: Hélène Goulet was appointed Associate Assistant Deputy Minister for the Health Products and Food Branch on May 24, 2005. Previously, she was the Director General of the Tobacco Control Programme, Healthy Environment and Consumer Safety Branch as well as A/Assistant Deputy Minister for the same Branch and, Director General, Transition to the Public Health Agency.

During Ms.Goulet's career in the federal public service, which began in 1987, she held various positions of responsibility in Public Law and in Management in several government departments.

Prior to Ms. Goulet's career in the public service, she spent a number of years in the educational field as a Secondary School Teacher, Administrator in a School Board and in a Provincial Teachers' Union.

Ms. Goulet holds a B.A (Honours), B. ED and an LL.B/MBA from the University of Ottawa. She is married and has four sons.

See 2006 Proceedings - Welcome and Opening Remarks

Dr. D.R. Fraser Taylor, Distinguished Research Professor and Director Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa

Biography: Professor Taylor received his M.A. and Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Edinburgh and has done postgraduate work at the University of London and Harvard University. Currently he is Distinguished Research Professor of International Affairs and Geography and Environmental Studies at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada as well as Director of the Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre.

Dr. Taylor's main research interests lie in the application of geomatics to the understanding of socio-economic issues. His interests in cartography and international development issues are often inter-related. Current research includes a major Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada research project entitled "Cybercartography and the New Economy" which involves the creation of a Cybercartographic Atlas of Antarctica and a cybercartographic product on Canada's Trade with the World. The Cybercartographic Atlas of Antarctica is also a case study for the InterPARES 2 project which deals with the authentication and preservation of dynamic electronic records. His numerous publications include: Guest Editor and contributor, with Sébastien Caquard, of a Special Issue of Cartographica on Cybercartography, April 2006; Cybercartography: Theory and Practice (ed. and contributor), Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2005; Policy Issues in Modern Cartography (ed. and contributor), Pergamon, 1998, Electronic National Economic Atlas of China (ENEAC), (Advisor and Editor for the English Language Version in CD-ROM form), China Higher Education Press, 1996; the National Economic Atlas of China (Advisor and editor for the English language version), Hong Kong: Oxford University Press, 1994; and Visualization in Modern Cartography (ed. and contributor with Alan M. MacEachren), Elsevier Science Publishers, 1994.

Dr. Taylor is a member of the Canadian Committee for CODATA and a Board member of the OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) Interoperability Institute. He chairs the International Steering Committee for Global Mapping (ISCGM), an international body involving over 160 national mapping agencies which is producing a digital map of the world with eight data layers to aid environmental and sustainable development decision making. He was Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Association of African Studies for 15 years, President of the Canadian Cartographic Association and President of the International Cartographic Association from 1987-1995.

See 2006 Proceedings - Cybercartography: A New Forum of Information Management, Analysis and Presentations

Murray Kaiserman, Director, Research Evaluation and Surveillance, Tobacco Control Programme, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch (HECSB)

Biography: Dr. Kaiserman is the Director of the Office of Research, Evaluation and Surveillance within Health Canada's Tobacco Control Programme, where he directs such surveys as the Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (CTUMS) and the Canadian Youth Smoking Survey and directs research on such issues as health warning messages and the chemistry of tobacco smoke. He has a doctorate from Case Western Reserve University of Cleveland, Ohio and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Ottawa. He has been with Health Canada since 1989 and has been involved in the development of the Tobacco Act and its Regulations, including two rounds of labelling regulations, as well as in the development and implementation of Federal tobacco control strategies such as the Tobacco Demand Reduction Strategy, the Tobacco Control Initiative and the current Federal Tobacco Control Strategy.

See 2006 Proceedings - Tobacco Paradox: Is There Ever Too Much Evidence?

Dr. Alejandro Jadad, Senior Scientist, Division of Clinical Decision-making and Health Care, Toronto General Research Institute (TGRI)

Biography: Dr. Jadad's mission is to help improve health and wellness for all, thorough information and communication technologies (ICTs).

Born and educated in Colombia, he obtained his medical degree in 1986, specializing in anesthesiology. By the time he was 20 years of age and still a medical student, he became a leading medical expert on cocaine in Colombia and an internationally sought after speaker. In 1990 he joined the University of Oxford (Balliol College and the Oxford Pain Unit), where he obtained a doctorate in pain management, knowledge synthesis and meta-analysis.

In 1995, he moved to Canada and joined McMaster University, where he was Chief of the Health Information Research Unit; Director of the McMaster Evidence-based Practice Centre; Co-Director of the Canadian Cochrane Network and Centre; Associate Medical Director of the Program in Evidence-based Care for Cancer Care Ontario and Professor in the Department of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics.

In 2000, Alex moved to Toronto, where he led the creation of the Centre for Global eHealth Innovation, a setting designed as a simulator of the future, to study and optimize the use of ICTs before their widespread introduction into the health system and society at large. He is also spearheading the development of the Global eHealth and eWellness Network Initiative (GENI, pronounced as "genie"), a unique group of individuals, organizations, tools and facilities working in harmony to promote research, development, education, policy, funding, recognition and commercialization activities related to the uses of ICTs to promote optimal levels of health and wellness, worldwide.

He is developing virtual clinical tools to transform the encounter between patients and health professionals, new methods to evaluate the impact of ICTs in society, interactive tools to promote knowledge translation and mentorship of health professionals and the public, and a platform to support virtual communities, to respond to major public health threats (e.g., obesity, pandemics) and to enable the public (particularly young people) to shape the health system and society.

Dr. Jadad's numerous awards, including a 'National Health Research Scholars Award', by Health Canada (1997), one of 'Canada's Top 40 Under 40' awards (1998), a 'Premier's Research Excellence Award' (1999), the New Pioneers Award in Science and Technology (2002). In 2001 and 2002, he was featured by Time Magazine as one of the new Canadians who will shape the country in the 21st century, and as one of the leading medical researchers in the country. In 2004, he received the Canadian Latin Achievement Award, as one of the people who have made important contributions to the relationship between Canada and the Hispanic world. In 2005, he was selected by the Top 40 Under 40 alumni as one of "The Best of the Best" for achievements in Health and Science, and by his peers in Colombia as the scientist who probably has had the greatest impact in the country's history.

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See 2006 Proceedings - "I" is for Imagination and Interdependence: Accelerating the Inevitable Transformation of the Health System in the Age of the Internet

Dr. Annalee Yassi, Professor, Institute of Health Promotion Research, University of British Columbia

Biography: Dr. Annalee Yassi is the Founding Executive Director and Chief Scientific and Medical Director of the Occupational Health and Safety Agency for Healthcare (OHSAH) in British Columbia, an agency dedicated to a collaborative evidence-based approach to promoting a healthy and safe healthcare environment. Under her leadership OHSAH has achieved considerable successes and was the recipient of CIHR's Inaugural Knowledge, Translation Award. Dr. Yassi has also been very active internationally, serving as the editor of the chapter on the healthcare sector in the International Labour Offices' Encyclopedia of Occupational Health and Safety.

Dr. Yassi serves as an active member of the scientific committee of the International Commission on Occupational Health for Healthcare, is frequently invited as a keynote speaker at international conferences and represented Canada at the World Health Organization's World Health Day celebrations this year. Dr. Yassi is principal investigator on numerous research projects including a five year multi-million dollar Community Alliance for Health Research program examining how best to maintain a healthy healthcare workforce.

Dr. Yassi is also a Tier 1Canada Research Chair in Transdisciplinary and Global Health research. She leads several large projects in Latin America, including a major innovative interdisciplinary training program on sustainably managing environmental health risks in Ecuador. Dr. Yassi is an active member of the World Health Organization's collaborating centre network and has worked on training programs worldwide for health workers. She also publishes extensively.

Dr. Yassi is a professor in the Institute of Health Promotion Research, and in the Department of Medicine and the Department of Healthcare and Epidemiology at the University of British Columbia. She received her Medical Degree from McMaster University. She has a Masters degree in epidemiology and occupational health from the University of Toronto and she is a Royal College Fellow in both Community Medicine and Occupational Medicine.

See 2006 Proceedings - Building Transdisciplinary Capacity to Respond to Global Health Challenges: The Healthcare Sector and Beyond

Nick Previsich, Acting Director, International Health Policy and Communications Division, International Affairs Directorate, Health Policy Branch

Biography: Mr. Nick Previsich is the Acting Director, International Health Policy and Communications Division, International Affairs Directorate - Health Canada. He has held positions previously in IAD-HPB as the Senior Science Advisor and was also the Associate Director, Bureau of Chemical Hazards - Environmental Health Directorate. He is responsible for managing Health Canada's international bilateral collaborations and administering MOUs with key countries (China, Mexico, France, Cuba).

He coordinates Health Canada's international activities with Latin American and Caribbean countries and acts as primary liaison with the Pan American Health Organization. He has participated in the negotiation of several international agreements such as the Declaration of the Summit of the Americas and the World Summit on Sustainable Development. He is the focal point within Health Canada for the Global Health Research Initiative.

In previous lives, Mr. Previsich was a trained biologist and undertook research in animal behaviour, neurophysiology and animal diseases.

See 2006 Proceedings - International Health and Science: Opportunities and Challenges

Jennifer Rae, Senior Program Officer, International Health Policy and Communications Division, International Affairs Directorate, Health Policy Branch

Biography: Jennifer is a biologist/geneticist currently employed as a Senior Program Officer with Health Canada's International Affairs Directorate, engaged in bilateral work with South Africa and Australia, and on several cross-cutting programs regarding international science and research, including the Global Health Research Initiative.

See 2006 Proceedings - International Health and Science: Opportunities and Challenges

Ian Potter, Assistant Deputy Minister, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB)

Biography: Mr. Potter has had considerable experience working on health and social service programs at both the federal and provincial level. He was actively involved for the federal government in the development and implementation of the Canada Health Act.

He has worked on mental health reform, the development of home care, medical care insurance programs and preventative programs. In addition to his work in the health field, Mr. Potter has had considerable experience as a negotiator. He was responsible for a number of federal/provincial financial and program negotiations in the social development area. In addition, he was responsible for directing the federal governments negotiations of Aboriginal comprehensive land claims. During that time the government concluded negotiations with the Inuit to create Nunavut. Mr. Potter has also worked in the areas of income security and human resources development.

Mr. Potter has worked at the federal level for the Ministries of Health, Social Development, Employment and Immigration and Indian and Northern Affairs, and at the provincial level for the governments of New Brunswick, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Mr. Potter has a BA from the University of Manitoba and an MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics.

See 2006 Proceedings - Health Capacity, a New Perspective

Arnold Naimark, Professor, Dean Emeritus and Director, Centre for the Advancement of Medicine, University of Manitoba; and Chair, Health Canada Science Advisory Board

Biography: Dr. Naimark, President Emeritus and Dean of Medicine Emeritus and Professor of Medicine and Physiology at the University of Manitoba, is currently Director of the Centre for the Advancement of Medicine. He is the founding Chairman of the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation and of the Canadian Biotechnology Advisory Committee, Chairman of Health Canada's Ministerial Science Advisory Board and Chairman of Genome Prairie.

Dr. Naimark serves on the Council of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, the National Statistics Council of Canada, and as a Director of the Robarts Research Institute.
Dr. Naimark is the founding Chairman of the North Portage Development Corporation and currently serves as a Director of or consultant to several voluntary, public and private sector organizations. He has served as President of several academic bodies including, the Canadian Physiological Society, the Canadian Society for Clinical Investigation, the Association of Canadian Medical Colleges, the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada and as Chairman of the Association of Commonwealth Universities.

Dr. Naimark is an Officer of the Order of Canada, a member of the Order of Manitoba and Fellow of the Royal Society and of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. He is recipient of the G. Malcolm Brown Award of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons and Medical Research Council of Canada, the Osler Award, the Distinguished Service Award of Ben Gurion University, the Symons Award of the Association of Commonwealth Universities; and of honorary doctorates from Mount Allison University and the University of Toronto, and of several other awards and distinctions related to his professional, academic and civic activities.

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See 2006 Proceedings - Welcome from the Forum Chair

Dr. Alan Bernstein, President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

Biography: Dr. Alan Bernstein is the inaugural President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Canada's lead agency for the support of health research. An internationally respected researcher, mentor and scientific leader, he has made key contributions to our understanding of embryonic development, hematopoiesis and cancer. Prior to his appointment at CIHR in 2000, he was Director of Research at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital from 1994-2000 and Professor in the Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics at the University of Toronto, where he is a Senior Fellow, Massey College. Dr. Bernstein has received numerous awards, including the McLaughlin Medal of the Royal Society of Canada, the Genetics Society of Canada Award of Excellence, the 2001 Australian Society of Medical Research Medal, and the Order of Canada in 2002.

See 2006 Proceedings - Rapidly Evolving Landscape of Health Research in the 21st Century

Mary Bush, Director General, Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion, Health Products and Food Branch

Biography: Mary Bush is the Director General of the Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion within the Health Products and Food Branch of Health Canada. As the focal point for nutrition within Health Canada, the office strives to promote the nutritional health and well-being of Canadians by collaboratively defining, promoting and implementing evidence-based nutrition policies and standards.

Previous to her current role, Mary led the policy review on nutrition labelling from March 1998 to October 2000. This work was an important component of Health Canada's implementation efforts related to Nutrition for Health: An Agenda for Action, Canada's national plan of action for nutrition. Mary provided co-ordination to the Joint Steering Committee during the development of this plan for action. Before beginning work on the Agenda in the fall of 1994, Mary worked on implementing programs related to Nutrition Recommendations for Canadians as well as developing educational strategies to promote knowledge and use of nutrition labelling and claims. She was involved in the development of the last two versions of Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating in 1992 as well as the previous guide.

Before coming to Health Canada in 1990, Mary worked with the National Institute of Nutrition as Program Co-ordinator and managing editor of their publication RAPPORT. Over her career she has consulted on many aspects of nutrition, including nutrition education, nutrition labelling and food policy.

Born in the Niagara Peninsula, Mary has been an active volunteer with several organizations involved in dietetics and health at the national, provincial, regional and community level. She is a graduate of the University of Guelph with a Masters degree in nutrition.

See 2006 Proceedings - Integration - A Prerequisite for Policy Relevant Evidence

Dr. Gregor Wolbring, Biochemist, bioethicist, science and technology ethicist, disability/variability studies scholar, and health policy and science and technology studies researcher at the University of Calgary

Biography: Dr. Gregor Wolbring, Ph.D., is a biochemist, a bioethicist, an ability studies, health policy and sociology of Nano, Bio, Info, Cogno (Neuro-engineering) Synbio researcher. He is a Biochemist at the Dept. of Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine University of Calgary, Canada; Adjunct Assistant Professor Dept. of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada; Adjunct Assistant Professor Dept. of Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies Faculty of Education University of Calgary, Canada; Founding member and affiliated scholar, Center for Nanotechnology and Society at Arizona State University, USA; Member International Nanotechnology and Society Network; Member CAC/ISO - Canadian Advisory Committees for the International Organization for Standardization section TC229 Nanotechnologies; Member of the Executive of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO; Chair: Disabled People's International Bioethics Taskforce. He teaches online courses at the University of Calgary and Arizona State University.

See 2006 Proceedings - From Nanotechnology to synthetic biology: What is in stock for health sciences and research?

Vern Seligy, Research Scientist, Safe Environments Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch (HECSB)

Biography: As a lab-based scientist for Health Canada (1992-present) and the National Research Council (NRC, 1969-92) Vern has worked with many biosystems (e.g., viruses, bacteria, yeast, fungi, transgenic animals, fish and plants, humans, even insects and spiders), mainly through genetic/protein engineering projects with industry-universities, but also government projects supporting regulation and policies.

A background interest in molecular architecture (research in developmental biology and molecular genetics for M.Sc., Ph.D. U.Toronto, 1966-69; and physical-chemical studies of chromatin and DNA at NRC), along with training in DNA cloning and Biosafety (U.Wisconsin, 1977-79) led to early biotech applications funded by Industry and NRC's Industrial and International programs. This expertise contributed to several initiatives (1984-97; National Biotechnology and NSERC/MRC Strategies, the Network Centres of Excellence for Protein Engineering, and DFAIT-NRC S&T exchanges on genomics with Italy (UNIDO), Germany, Belgium and France). Science manager duties (1982-96) included the Molecular Genetics Section (NRC), Scientific Liaison Officer (VP Biotechnology, Industry, International Affairs), and Science Monitor (also advisor/participant) for several industrial ventures shared with IRAP, ISTC/IC, Ontario Premier's Council Technology Super Fund and NSERC, in sectors of Health (oral vaccines/mucosal immunity, hormones, colon cancer), Agriculture (cloning/transgenics of yeast, plants, poultry and bovine) and Environment- Sustainable Energy (biopesticides, bioredmediation, enzymes and polymers, biofuels from forest/agri-product wastes).

This knowledge supports, in various ways, stewardship mandates of Health Canada and OGDs, related to National/Canadian Biotechnology Strategies (1992-06 funding initiatives of CBS, Genomics and Canadian Regulatory System for Biotechnology (CRSB)) and activities of several dozen committees/working groups with coworkers (SEP/PSP, HPB, HPFB, PHAC, PMRA, Office of Biotechnology, EC, IC, CFIA, NRCan) which address regulatory and policy issues including impacts of emerging bio/nanotechnologies. Funds from CBS, CRSB, Genomics and also NSERC (student training) obtained by Vern have filled gaps in staff for molecular toxicology, the development/application of biotech-based tools and facility to assess bioproducts released into the environment, including monitoring their quality and exposures for efficacy, persistence and effects on workers/bystanders (1993-05 Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, B.C., Ohio/US EPA, and NRCan, PMRA, PSP/HECS and EC).

One of the most rewarding aspects of his work, aided by adjunct professorships (four Universities from 1976-05), has been to help develop students, post-doctorates, research associates, sabbatical professors and scientists from over three dozen industries and universities. Current research involves multi-characterizations of Domestic Substance List micro-organisms(CEPA 1999) and others (biotech and clinical relatives); how their molecular interactions with mucosal and immune systems relate to toxicity and pathogenicity concerns. This research is closely shared with his lab colleagues (Dr. A.Tayabali and Dr. P.Shwed, and J.Crosthwait, G.Coleman, and K.Nguyen) recruited through the CRSB, who contribute expertise and leadership for ongoing science capacity within HECS and Health Canada. The combined work, including efforts of former students and research associates, has contributed significantly to publications, intellectual property, stakeholder consultations, development of funding initiatives and projects in domains of science, regulation and policy, as well as several awards (e.g., sharing of the first Health Canada, Deputy Minister's Excellence in Science Award, the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal, and Public Service Merit Awards for contributions to NBS and CBS, and Genomics initiatives).

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See 2006 Proceedings - From Lab to Practice- Research and Tools for Characterization of Microbe-Based Bioproducts and Monitoring their Release into the Environment

Wendy Sexsmith, Associate Chief Scientist, Office of the Chief Scientist, Health Canada

Biography: Wendy Sexsmith started with the Canadian federal government in 1992, after 13 years in the New Brunswick provincial government and joined the Office of the Chief Scientist as the Associate Chief Scientist in July 2005. Up to that point in time, she had held several senior positions in Health Canada including acting Executive Director of the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), Health Canada from September 2003 to February 2005, with overall accountability for the delivery of an integrated pest management regulatory regime to protect the health and safety of the population of Canada and the environment and provide effective pest control products to support the requirements of Canadian industry within the context of revenue dependency and in a global environment.

See 2006 Proceedings - Excellence in Science Award Winners

Dr. Arthur Carty, National Science Advisor, Industry Canada

Biography: Dr. Arthur Carty is the National Science Advisor. Dr. Carty, former head of the National Research Council, has a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Nottingham University. He spent two years at Memorial University and then 27 years at Waterloo University where he was successively, Professor of Chemistry, Chair of the Chemistry Department and Dean of Research.

Dr. Carty maintains an active research group and continues to publish in his field of synthetic chemistry and metallic clusters. He has over 270 publications in refereed journals, in addition to book chapters and review articles. He is a former President of the Canadian Society for Chemistry (Canadian Society), Honorary Fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. Among his many awards are the Alcan Award of the Chemical Institute of Canada, the E.W.R. Steacie Award of the Canadian Society, the Montreal Medal of the Chemical Institute of Canada and the Purvis Award of the Society of Chemical Industry. He has received seven honorary degrees from Canadian and foreign universities, is an Officer of the Order of Canada and Officier de l'Ordre national du Mérite of France.

He serves on more than a dozen Boards, including two of the Networks of Centres of Excellence, Genome Canada and five Science and Technology Advisory Boards for other departments and agencies.

See 2006 Proceedings - Patent Award Winners

Date Modified: 2006-12-18

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