The First CIHR President

CIHR: What was it like being the first president of CIHR?

Dr. Bernstein: It was a mix of excitement and, admittedly, some trepidation. Launching CIHR was a big job—it wasn't something you do alone. It was teamwork involving a lot of people.

I was energized by the chance to work with the team I inherited from the Medical Research Council, and the team we were building with the incoming scientific directors, their staff and the Institute Advisory Boards.

I didn't get a lot of sleep for the first six months, but I had a wonderful time getting CIHR off the ground. It really is a remarkable organization.

CIHR: What were some of the early challenges and needs you were trying to address in your role at CIHR?

Dr. Bernstein: One of the biggest challenges in launching CIHR was convincing the research community that we were committed to the new vision for CIHR and that the Canadian health research community would be stronger as a result. It was a new and fundamentally different organization. We were expanding the mandate to include social sciences and humanities (thereby introducing four pillars of research) and adding a new strategic dimension to our work—none of which had existed at the Medical Research Council.

We had heightened expectations from everyone: the research community, health charities, Parliament and the Minister of Health. I believed firmly in the new vision and direction for CIHR and was determined to turn that vision into a compelling reality.

CIHR: It sounds like a big change management effort.

Dr. Bernstein: Absolutely. Many people in the biomedical and clinical research communities were worried that expanding the scope to include the social sciences and humanities would stretch the budget too thinly. Meanwhile, researchers in the social sciences and humanities were not convinced that we were committed to this new inclusive vision, especially as my own background was strongly rooted in fundamental laboratory research. In other words, there was skepticism on both sides about whether this broader approach would work.

CIHR: So, there were more researchers applying for grants from a wider range of disciplines?

Dr. Bernstein: Exactly. And the community was understandably concerned that our budget wasn't going to be big enough. I felt one of my most important priorities was to convince the government that CIHR's expanded mandate did indeed require a larger budget.

A central aspect of our strategy to address all these valid issues was to move quickly beyond discussion and frequently loud debate and turn the vision that had been developed under the late Dr. Henry Friesen's leadership into reality. Nothing worries people more than change. And so, our strategy was to move as quickly as possible, not letting perfection be the enemy of the good. A key part of that implementation was establishing the 13 institutes. They were the most tangible example of what made CIHR distinct from the Medical Research Council.

By the end of August 2000, we had named all 13 new scientific directors through a process that involved first agreeing on what the themes and mandates of the institutes should be, calling for nominations for scientific directors, establishing four distinguished interview and selection panels, and then getting Governing Council's OK on the people we had selected. That we were able to do all that in a little over three months, with summer in the middle of that, was a heroic effort that involved a lot of people working seamlessly together. And it had the desired effect: going from discussion to 13 new scientists, including molecular biologists, clinicians, social scientists, and the world's first institutes in Indigenous Peoples' Health, and Gender and Health in blistering speed. It showed we were serious. It was an exciting time!

CIHR: And so what happened next?

Dr. Bernstein: I spent a lot of my time traveling the country, holding town hall meetings with the research community, provincial civil servants and politicians, university leadership, health charities, and others. That period was extremely valuable and energizing for me; I got to know Canada in a way I had never done before, and I think I truly learned how to listen actively to peoples' concerns and aspirations, and in turn share with them my vision for health research in the country. I believe the many meetings we held over that time and beyond went a long way to garnering active support and indeed enthusiasm for what we were trying to do.

CIHR: Can you tell me about any early accomplishments and successes?

Dr. Bernstein: In addition to gaining acceptance and support from diverse stakeholders, an important accomplishment was launching the institutes and their advisory boards.

I remember attending those early institute meetings and realizing we had assembled a wonderful group of 13 colleagues, all of whom were critical to CIHR. Each scientific director, in turn, did a superb job of reaching out to their communities and forming institute advisory boards made up of researchers, patients where appropriate, health charity representatives, industry where appropriate, and more. In time, we realized that the institute advisory boards were an important facet of the CIHR vision.

One example that stands out in my memory is the late Phil Branton, who led the Institute of Cancer Research. He reached out to the community and identified a need for research in palliative care. Phil took it very seriously and launched a strategic initiative on palliative care research, even though that was very far from his own area of research. That decision sent a strong message that we were indeed a different organization.

CIHR: And let's not forget that under your leadership CIHR's budget for health research tripled!

Dr. Bernstein: We worked hard to engage parliamentarians and others to share our excitement and vision for CIHR. It was important to demonstrate that the research community was committed to excellence in their science as measured by great science and publications but also by their impact on the health of Canadians and on the health system itself.  

One of the initiatives we undertook was to bring 25 or 30 young investigators who had just received their first CIHR grants to meet their MPs and talk about why their research mattered. We stressed to them beforehand not to ask for more money but to thank them and tell them about their research and why it mattered to Canadians. Afterward, the Speaker of the House asked all of them to stand and take a bow during Question Period because they were so important to Canada. And the parliamentarians all clapped, on both sides of the house.

CIHR: That's amazing. Is there another memory from your time at CIHR that stands out?

Dr. Bernstein: I have so many memories! One that stands out is how we developed guidelines for embryonic stem cell research, a controversial topic at the time. We formed a committee with broad representation—scientists, ethicists, concerned Canadians—and asked them to develop guidelines that balanced ethical considerations and the potential for research that saves lives.

I give full credit to Janet Rossant, who chaired the committee, and to her committee members for doing a great job. It was an example of where we were being proactive, once again exemplifying the new CIHR.

CIHR: Why do you think it's important to fund health research in Canada and globally?

Dr. Bernstein: Where do I start!

Canada can't keep relying on other countries for advances in science, certainly not at the present moment. It's time we stepped up and did our part. People are still suffering or dying from disease, whether that's cancer, dementia, or other chronic or infectious diseases. With an aging population, we are going to see an increase in diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer's. Canada needs to contribute to advances in understanding these diseases and develop new approaches to early diagnosis, and new treatments

Think about COVID-19. It's probably the most serious threat Canada has faced in a long time. Canadian researchers were vital in advancing the science that played a major role in the development of the mRNA vaccines.

Across all areas of health research, CIHR-funded investigators have improved health outcomes through research on vaccines, diagnostics, drugs, waiting times for treatment, new cost-effective ways to organize our health systems, and understanding the socioeconomic determinants of health. We're also finally seeing the growth of robust biotech industries, especially around Vancouver, but also in Edmonton, Toronto, and Montreal. Canadian research has also had important impact on improving the health of children in developing countries. That's the power of research.

Looking ahead, the future holds many exciting advances that will improve health and indeed how health research is done. Groups are becoming larger, interdisciplinary research is increasingly the norm, not the exception and AI has become essential to almost all areas of health research. CIHR was one of the first to recognize and fund interdisciplinary health research teams, starting back in our very first grant competitions in 2000.

And the final reason I'll point out is our health care system, in which CIHR has a huge role to play. Artificial intelligence is going to rapidly transform how we deliver health care. Who's going to drive that change? Who's going to assess whether it's working or not, whether it's more efficient? That's all about research.

CIHR: Very interesting. I believe many people at CIHR today share your passion.

Dr. Bernstein: When I look back, one of the things I'm most proud of is the impact CIHR has had on the health of Canadians, and on global health too. The research coming out of Canada across disciplines has been truly outstanding. There have been many great accomplishments and contributions.

I think health research has never been more relevant, has never been more exciting than it is today.

Launching a new organization—one that's as important as CIHR—was a great privilege. I'm grateful to have been a part of that journey.