International Centre for Infectious Diseases Names New Board Chair

Aug 2, 2006

(ICID release)

A new Chair has been selected by the Board of Directors of the International Centre for Infectious Diseases (ICID).

Dr. Lorne Babiuk, Director and CEO of Saskatoon’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) and Canada Research Chair in Vaccinology and Biotechnology, takes over the role from the Board’s founding chair, Dr. Stephen Moses of the University of Manitoba.

"I am honoured to accept this mandate from my Board colleagues," said Dr. Babiuk. "I believe firmly in the ICID and its mission of fighting disease and fostering innovation. This is an organization that has the potential to make a major contribution to the study, treatment and prevention of infectious diseases, and to the struggle for global health. I hope I can assist in realizing that potential."

As the Director of VIDO and as a pre-eminent researcher, Dr. Lorne Babiuk has created a national and international name for himself. He is the recipient of many prestigious awards and is widely known for his expertise in recognizing and pursuing the commercial potential in scientific outcomes.

Dr. Babiuk is one of the seven inaugural Directors who have been serving the ICID since October 2004. Two more Directors were added in February 2005. The ICID is a Winnipeg-based not-for-profit corporation with a mission to advance Canada’s infectious diseases capacity and facilitate the application of Canadian infectious diseases expertise, domestically and internationally. The ICID aspires to a national leadership role within Canada’s infectious diseases community, bringing together collaborators, advocating for the sector, and encouraging the development of major initiatives.

"We are fortunate to have Dr. Babiuk at our helm," said Terry Duguid, ICID’s President & CEO and a member of the Board of Directors. "He is a passionate leader, a stalwart in the infectious diseases research field and a proven innovator. He is generous with his vision and believes firmly that more can be achieved collaboratively than competitively. I am confident that the ICID will continue to grow and develop under his watch, building on the foundation laid by his predecessor, Dr. Stephen Moses."

While Dr. Moses will retain his place on the Board of Directors, he is relocating to Karnataka in South Indian where he will serve as Project Director of a large HIV prevention project funded by the India AIDS Initiative of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

One of Dr. Babiuk’s priorities for the ICID is to have the organization facilitate greater regional and national networks among infectious disease professionals. To this end, the ICID’s second annual Research and Innovation Retreat, scheduled for October 23-25 in Winnipeg, will expand its scope, bringing together researchers from both Manitoba and Saskatchewan.