The Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS) recently recognized four McGill representatives as leaders in the health sciences through their election as CAHS Fellows, one of the highest honours for individuals in the Canadian health sciences community. Elections are based on a nominating and peer review process that seeks to recognize those who are marked by a record of substantial accomplishment.

The four newly elected Fellows from McGill:

Dr. Howard Mark Chertkow is a Professor of Neurology at McGill University. His laboratory has carried out major productive research on the early diagnosis and cognitive changes in Alzheimer’s disease and he has published extensively in these areas of research. Three of his papers have over 1000 citations in the literature. Dr. Chertkow has played a leadership role in national dementia research, and is currently directing the initiative to establish a national Canadian Consortium for Neurodegeneration and Aging to catalyse this research community. He represents Canada on the executive of several international dementia organizations and grant review panels.

Dr. William David Foulkes has made seminal contributions to cancer genetics in Canada. As a clinician, he has offered counselling and advice to thousands of individuals at increased risk for cancer. In the laboratory, he has identified the cause of some forms cancer and has studied their clinical-pathological correlates. His work has been highly cited and its excellence has been recognized both nationally and internationally. He is the scientific director of the biennial hereditary breast and ovarian cancer symposium which in 2011 attracted over 400 attendees from 25 countries.


Dr. Louise Pilote, an internationally recognized health services and outcomes researcher, is a leader in the generation and translation of new knowledge about sex and gender differences in cardiovascular disease. As a clinician scientist, she directed several research initiatives that led to important new insights into the determinants of premature coronary disease and the role of sex and gender in its diagnosis, treatment and outcomes. She also serves as an advisor to the Heart and Stroke Foundation on research policy regarding sex/gender and she has been instrumental in fostering collaborations between clinicians and researchers to advance academic health sciences.


Dr. Michael Shevell has devoted his career to improving the care of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, especially global developmental delay, intellectual disability and cerebral palsy. He has also focused on identifying subgroups at risk amongst critically ill newborns. His efforts have directly modified our clinical work with these populations targeting medical, diagnostic programmatic follow-up. Dr. Shevell is currently Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at McGill and Pediatrician-in-Chief of the McGill University Health Centre. His administrative efforts are shepherding a shift to vulnerable complex pediatric populations and the enhancement of training programs for the next generation of child health professionals.

Fellows elected to the Academy are recognized by their peers nationally and internationally for their contributions to the promotion of health science and have demonstrated leadership, creativity, distinctive competencies and a commitment to advance academic health science. Election to Fellowship carries with it a covenant to serve the Academy and the future well-being of the health sciences irrespective of the Fellow’s specific discipline.

CAHS is Canada’s first national advisory body of healthcare leaders and researchers from across the country. For more information, including a complete list of Fellows, please visit: http://www.cahs-acss.ca/.

Sep 24 2014