Mitacs and CIHR partner to advance innovation in health care

Quebec City, QC – Mitacs, a national not-for-profit research and training organization, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Government of Canada’s health research investment agency, announce a new partnership to provide internship opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the health sector.

The partnership, announced today at the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies annual conference in Quebec City, supports collaborative projects and hands-on training for academic researchers. Initiatives include:

• The Personalized Health Catalyst Grants, which will provide training and funding for graduate students and postdocs as they develop and improve health solutions in personalized medicine.
• The Health System Impact Fellowships, which will provide postdocs with professional growth opportunities as they apply their research and analytical skills through internships in the health industry.

Through the Mitacs-CIHR partnership, researchers will gain hands-on research experience with health-related industries, including clinical research, biotech, IT, and health management.

Quotes:

Alejandro Adem, CEO and Scientific Director, Mitacs

“Mitacs’ partnership with CIHR highlights the importance of training and research opportunities for graduate students and postdocs who want to accelerate their careers in the health field. Our collaboration with CIHR will advance innovation in our health care system and, by extension, the well-being of all Canadians.”

Michel Perron, Executive Vice-President, External Affairs and Business Development, CIHR

“CIHR is very pleased to partner with Mitacs to develop new and creative training opportunities for the next generation of Canadian health researchers. By encouraging these talented trainees to apply their skills to health industry settings, these opportunities have the potential to take their careers, and research, in exciting new directions.”

Jonathan Lai, Mitacs intern and Health System Impact fellow, McGill University

“The Mitacs-CIHR Health System Impact Fellowship allows me to work in real world health policy issues. Bridging my research knowledge with community needs allows me to direct my work in a meaningful and impactful way.”

Quick facts:

• Mitacs is a national not-for-profit organization led by Canadian universities that has designed and delivered research and training programs in Canada for more than 17 years.
• Working with 60 universities, thousands of companies, and federal and provincial governments, Mitacs builds partnerships that support industrial and social innovation in Canada.
• CIHR is the Government of Canada’s health research investment agency. Its mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health care system. 

Links:

• For information about Mitacs and our programs, see mitacs.ca/newsroom.
• For more information about CIHR, click here.

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