Message from Dr. Brian H. Rowe: Reflecting on my 8 years as Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health

Dear colleagues,

This final Scientific Director (SD) message marks the end of my two terms as SD of the CIHR Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH). It has been a rewarding, yet challenging, eight years, full of organizational change and a pandemic (which lingers on). In its now 24-year history, I do not believe CIHR has ever faced so many fundamental challenges in so many areas at one time.

Regardless, I want community members to know that I am confident and optimistic about the future. While these eight years represent a highlight of my professional career, they have also taught me we can find solutions to our current and future problems through engagement, collaboration, and partnership. I have been honoured to represent the ICRH community, to advocate on your behalf, to develop strategic initiatives, to contribute to knowledge mobilization, and achieve organizational excellence. Thank you for the confidence in my leadership and for your hard work to improve the lives of people with circulatory and respiratory conditions living in Canada and across the world.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our families, our practices, and our ability to fulfill our duty to Canadians. The disproportionate effects of the virus on many equity-denied and rights-holding groups has highlighted the importance of respecting and encouraging equity, diversity, inclusiveness, and accessibility in our society. In that light, I would like to thank the Institute of Indigenous Peoples' Health and their past Scientific Directors, Drs. Malcolm King and Margo Greenwood, for their patience, collaboration, and friendship as I learned how the Institute can take meaningful actions to support healing and true reconciliation. I feel the commitments made to Indigenous communities, by ICRH now (e.g., through the recent Personnel Awards for Indigenous Scholars), and in the future, will improve the health and wellness of First Peoples in Canada. Moreover, I commit to remaining an ally for all Indigenous Peoples (First Nation, Métis and Inuit).

The coming years will re-define the future of health research in Canada and how those living in Canada will rely on science for years to come. Please remember that our real power as scientists is demonstrated in our unfailing commitment to creating new and valid evidence, ensuring a sustainable path for health researchers in the future, and mobilizing evidence to improve the health and wellness of all those living in Canada. Science is fundamental to life, economic prosperity, and our future.

I have been so inspired by the scientists in heart, lung, stroke, critical care, sleep and blood/blood vessel research here and across the globe. I believe the pandemic reinforced the value of science, the need for scientific integrity, and for the world to listen to scientists like Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Theresa Tam, and many of our ICRH colleagues, such as Dr. Samir Gupta. The ICRH community is full of remarkably gifted, generous, successful scientists who wake up early and stay up late each day to change the lives of patients, families, communities, and the world. As I return to your community, I will remain humbled by your commitment, your insight, and your resilience. I want to thank you all.

I'd like to recognize the partners who worked collaboratively with ICRH over my two terms, and I need to start by thanking all of the other Institute Scientific Directors (there are too many over eight years to name all of them here). Since many Institutes have overlapping interests, partnerships with other Institutes have been critically important to the success of ICRH and CIHR. In addition, we are indebted to the Canadian Lung Association, Hypertension Canada, Heart and Stroke Foundation, Innovative Medicines Canada, private foundations (the Rossy Foundation; the Azrieli Foundation) and the many other partners who have worked with us to build a stronger health research funding ecosystem. Finally, we have developed close links with the US National Institutes of Health, especially the National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute (NHLBI), our partner NIH Institute. We are stronger when working together to maximize health research funding, and I am grateful for the support, collegiality, and generosity you have all provided.

To our Institute Advisory Board members, thank you for your commitment to our team, CIHR and the mandate areas we all represent. Our IAB is a diverse, inclusive, and equitable group of professionals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty as Board members.

I'd like to thank my current (Dr. Ryan Perry, Dr. Leiah Luoma, Dr. Yuliya Fakhr, Ms. Kaylin Barnes and Ms. Jamie Kulchitsky) and past (Dr. Helen Coe, Ms. Ebele Unaegbunam, Dr. Diane Forbes, Ms. Laura McQuillan, Ms. Adele Gagon) ICRH team members who have endured the many requests, my crazy schedule, and increasing demands due to the pandemic in the course of assisting me in delivering all the amazing programs within our suite of funding opportunities and activities over the years. Everything from the Fort McMurray wildfires to the pandemic and large multi-institute initiatives such as Transitions in Care, the Sepsis Network (Sepsis Canada), the Heart Failure Alliance (Canadian Heart Function Alliance), the Sleep Research Consortium, the Team Grants in Lung Health and many others! Thank you so very much for your commitment and I hope you will take time to reflect on how much you have all contributed to improving health in Canada. I will miss your hard work, smiling faces, and youth!

Finally, I want to thank my family. I am indebted to my wife Katharyn Webb for her love, therapeutic listening, and support throughout my career, and especially the eight years of this journey. During my SD role at ICRH, we celebrated our 25th and 30th wedding anniversaries, and witnessed both of our sons graduate from university, get married, and launch their adult lives. I regularly pinch myself for my good fortune. I want to thank my sons Bradley (Evyn) and Stewart (Kirsten) for their support and express how proud I am of them as young men! A family is often silently behind many people who assume leadership roles, and I owe any success and resilience I have had to the Rowe Team!

Lastly, to Dr. Ariane Marelli, I happily pass the ICRH torch. I look forward to seeing how you carry the Institute forward to support an incredible group of scientists making remarkable discoveries that impact the lives of all Canadians. Please hold the torch high, as I know you will. Moreover, don't forget you are in this role with 12 brilliant, collaborative, and committed Scientific Directors. Lean in when you need to, and you'll find their guidance and friendship will help you succeed. My best wishes for success.

In your service,

Dr. Brian H. Rowe
Scientific Director, CIHR Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health
Professor, University of Alberta

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