Now as the head of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), he wants to go even further. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, it was research that allowed us to quickly develop and distribute vaccines. This saved lives. That’s the power of science.”
He considers that his role as CIHR president is to bring people together. “A large part of my work is to meet with research communities and institutions, but also private sector decision-makers and partners,” he says. He hopes that this will encourage collaborations that cross language and geographical barriers. As a Francophone Acadian, he also has a heartfelt desire to represent Francophone communities, which are too often underrepresented in major research sectors.
Research based on current needs: From the pandemic to aging
Challenges in health care are many. For Hébert, the CIHR must continue to focus on long-term issues, such as the aging of the population, neurodegenerative diseases and social isolation. “These issues directly affect people’s quality of life. It’s crucial to invest in solutions that bring concrete benefits in the near future and in the years to come.”
Another key area he’d like to develop is research on health systems. “The CIHR must mobilize the research community to provide decision-makers with solutions that optimize our health-care networks, making them more efficient and better adapted to patient needs,” he says, reminding us of the importance of applying research findings to improve how services are organized.
National and international collaboration: Joining forces for maximum impact
Hébert considers the CIHR as a crossroads where researchers, institutions and decision-makers collaborate to achieve common goals. He says that “success in research is built on solid partnerships, whether with universities, governments or the private sector.”
These collaborations don’t stop at Canada’s borders. He hopes to strengthen the CIHR’s position internationally by forging links with research organizations in other countries. “To solve the big challenges in health care, you need to think globally. Knowledge and innovation must circulate beyond borders.”
“Success in research is built on solid partnerships, whether with universities, governments or the private sector.”
Paul Hébert
— CIHR president, clinician investigator and professor at the University of Ottawa
Supporting scientific excellence: Fostering innovation while responding to current needs
One challenge facing the CIHR is that it needs to strike a balance between promoting exploratory research and supporting strategic priorities related to current needs. Hébert sees this duality as essential: “Basic research is our future. It lays the groundwork for discoveries that will revolutionize health care in 10 or 20 years. But we must also invest in projects that will immediately improve the lives of Canadians.”
Hébert also stresses the importance of supporting young researchers. “Our future scientific leaders must have access to the resources and supervision they need to succeed.”
Making CIHR a catalyst for change: An action- and impact-focused organization
For Hébert, the true measure of CIHR’s impact will also be its capacity to generate practical results for Canadians. “We’re more than just a funding organization. We must become a catalyst capable of guiding researchers and responding to health-care priorities.”
For example, he cites the CIHR’s role in fighting dementia by supporting a national strategy that brings together researchers, clinicians and decision-makers. He also hopes to strengthen CIHR’s ability to guide public policy by providing evidence-based data and innovative solutions that are tailored to the complex challenges of the health-care system.
At the outset of his term, Hébert says he’s ready to take on these challenges with a collaborative, results-oriented approach. “Health-care research has the power to change lives. It’s a responsibility we must all share, and I’m honoured to be doing my part through the CIHR.”
Under his leadership, the CIHR will continue to play a key role in building a sustainable, equitable and innovative health-care system.
