On September 14, 2017, Dr. Michael Coughtrie, professor and dean of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of British Columbia (UBC) was named a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS).
Dr. Coughtrie, together with UBC President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Santa J. Ono, and Drs. Jehannine Austin and Lara Boyd from UBC Faculty of Medicine, were honoured at an evening induction ceremony held in Ottawa, Ontario.
Induction into CAHS is a significant honour for members of the Canadian research community. Nominations are adjudicated by a Fellowship Committee who assess candidates on their fulfillment of strict criteria in the areas of international leadership, academic performance, scientific creativity, and willingness to serve.
Dr. Michael Coughtrie is an accomplished scientist, educator and mentor. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, he received his BSc in biochemistry in 1983 and PhD in 1986 from the University of Dundee where he also began his professional teaching and research career based in the School of Medicine. Dr. Coughtrie’s tenure as dean of the Faculty commenced on August 1, 2013. His extensive teaching experience encompasses the development and implementation of a number of course modules in the fields of medicine, dentistry and science. As a researcher focusing on the roles of two major families of drug metabolizing enzymes, he has supervised numerous PhD and postdoctoral students, been invited to speak at over 70 international meetings and conferences, and has received more than 70 competitive research grants and contracts. He is an accomplished author and serves on the editorial boards of publications including Pharmacogenetics & Genomics, Xenobiotica and Biomarkers.
“It is a tremendous honour to be named a Canadian Academy of Health Sciences Fellow alongside such distinguished company,” says Dr. Coughtrie. “I look forward to serving in this role and working together with my colleagues to assess topics crucial to health care in Canada.”
UBC 2017 Fellows
Citations courtesy of CAHS
Santa J. Ono
Dr. Ono, is a Professor and the 15th President and Vice Chancellor of the University of British Columbia. He is a world-leading expert on ocular diseases. His seminal studies of the immune system and inflammation have defined mechanisms underlying age-related macular degeneration and other ocular diseases, and his translational discoveries contributed to early detection and treatment for the diseases. He has also made significant contributions to leading and reforming world-class education and research system as a leader of top-ranked universities and research institutions in USA and Canada.
Jehannine Austin
Dr. Austin’s pioneering genetic counseling research - showing that genetic counseling has meaningful benefits for people with psychiatric disorders and their families - has been acknowledged with national and international awards. The impact of her research led to a Canadian innovation in health care; the founding of the award‐winning, world’s first, specialist psychiatric genetic counseling service. The activities of the service are influencing health services worldwide and provide a deeply meaningful understanding for patients and their families.
Lara Boyd
Dr. Boyd is Professor and Canada Research Chair in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of British Columbia. She is recognized internationally as a leader in the neurobiology of motor learning. Her research has developed new understandings of how the brain adapts to neurological disease and she has developed novel methods to harness brain recovery after injury and disease. She has demonstrated a long commitment to advance health sciences through her role as the University Health Research Advisor, as well as several senior roles where her efforts have led to the advancement of women in science.