CIHR at 25
In 2025, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Read on to learn more about the origins of CIHR and some of the health research milestones we’ve hit—and the positive impacts we’ve had—along the way.
Where it all began
CIHR has its roots in the Medical Research Council of Canada (MRC), which was established in 1960. The creation of the MRC was a major step forward for Canada, representing a commitment to scientific innovation and public health. With its focus on biomedical research, for decades, the MRC supported important work in fields such as genetics, cancer research, immunology and neuroscience.
In the 1990s, the Chair of the MRC, Dr. Henry Friesen, recognized the need to transform the way health research was funded and conducted in Canada. He acknowledged that the MRC’s mandate was too narrowly focused on biomedical research, and that Canada needed a broader, more inclusive approach that also took into account clinical research, population health and health services.
Dr. Friesen and his colleagues traveled the country conducting a series of consultations with scientists, policymakers and patient advocates. What they heard was that health research needed to break down barriers, become more collaborative and do a better job of directly addressing the needs of Canadians.
This was where the vision for CIHR was born: To create a decentralized agency with 13 institutes, each focused on a specific area of health research, working together to fund research and convene the health research community to tackle the pressing health challenges of today and tomorrow.
On June 7, 2000, CIHR was established by an Act of Parliament, and in the years since its founding, CIHR has carved out a place for itself as the Government of Canada’s health research investment agency, investing more than $1 billion per year through 100+ funding competitions that, collectively, support around 16,000 health researchers and trainees.
Milestones – 25 years of health research for a heathier future
2000-2005
2000
CIHR created by an Act of Parliament. The establishment of CIHR creates a single federal agency for health research funding and leadership in Canada to sustain basic and clinical biomedical research and expands into the areas of population-based research, health policy and health services research, and research using social sciences and humanities to address important health issues.
Dr. Alan Bernstein named CIHR’s first President.
CIHR appoints its first roster of Scientific Directors.
2001
CIHR funds the OPTIMA study, a randomized controlled trial involving patients in Canada, the US and the UK who are experiencing resistance to HIV treatment. The trial sets the stage for more nuanced and effective HIV management strategies.
Following a large, multicenter study, and with support from CIHR, Dr. Ian Stiell and colleagues publish the Canadian CT Head Rule, a clinical decision-making tool that helps health care providers determine when a computed tomography (CT) scan of the head is necessary for adult patients with minor head injuries. The Canadian CT Head Rule becomes a standard of care, and an example of how clinical decision tools can improve outcomes, optimize resource use in busy emergency settings and reduce costs.
2002
CIHR hosts its first Health Research Awards Night. Among the researchers honoured is Dr. Jeannie Shoveller, who would go on to become the first woman chairperson in CIHR’s history, in 2019.
Recognizing the urgent need for clear guidelines to keep pace with rapidly evolving science and shifting public opinion, and to ensure ethical and scientific oversight, CIHR announces guidelines for human stem cell research.
The International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project, led by Dr. Geoffrey Fong, is established with funding from CIHR, the US National Cancer Institute and other contributors. The ITC Project has directly contributed to stronger tobacco regulations worldwide, producing data that show that graphic warning labels, higher tobacco taxes and smoke-free laws are highly effective at reducing smoking rates.
2003
CIHR’s Institute of Infection and Immunity mobilizes rapidly to respond to the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)—getting a funding opportunity out the door in 19 days.
2004
CIHR requires that all clinical trials it funds must register with an international registry of trials, ensuring that they are transparent and accessible, whatever their results.
2005-2010
2005
With funding from CIHR, Drs. Heinz Feldmann and Steven Jones develop vaccines that can protect monkeys from lethal doses of the Ebola, Lassa and Marburg viruses. Such work in animal models was an important steppingstone to an Ebola vaccine that, following clinical trials, proved to be safe and effective.
2006
CIHR-funded researcher Dr. Steve Morgan produces the Canadian Rx Atlas, the first detailed picture of prescription drug use in communities across Canada.
2007
With support from CIHR, Dr. Freda Miller and her colleagues use skin-derived stem cells to repair spinal cord injuries in rats. Her research on how stem cells contribute to the development, maintenance and repair of the nervous system has significant implications for treating brain injuries, neurodegenerative diseases and other conditions.
A vaccine that fights E. coli in cattle that was developed by Drs. Brett Finlay and Andy Potter with support from CIHR is authorized for use in Canada. By developing a vaccine for cattle, the researchers helped prevent the spread of E. coli from cattle to humans, protecting public health and enhancing food safety.
Clinical trials led by CIHR-funded researcher Dr. Stephen Moses on the impact of male circumcision in reducing HIV incidence in young men is included in Time magazine’s list of top 10 medical breakthroughs of the year.
Canadian pediatrician Dr. Stanley Zlotkin receives the Order of Canada for his contributions to global child health. With funding partly from CIHR, in the 1990s, Dr. Zlotkin and his team developed a product called Sprinkles, a small sachet with a day’s supply of powdered micronutrients that can be added to semi-liquid food. Sprinkles now reaches more than 15 million children every year in more than 50 countries.
In partnership with provincial and territorial governments, CIHR helps establish evidence-based benchmarks for medically acceptable wait times for key procedures such as hip replacements and sight restoration.
2007-08
An international study co-authored by CIHR-funded researchers Drs. Stephen Scherer and Peter Szatmari uncovers genetic underpinnings of autism.
2008
Dr. Alain Beaudet becomes CIHR’s second President.
2009
The CIHR-funded Drug Safety and Effectiveness Network launches. DSEN enhances the evidence base for the safety and effectiveness of drugs used in Canada and provides decision-makers with the information they need to make informed regulatory and policy decisions.
2009-10
Working in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada, CIHR swiftly mobilizes dedicated researchers to respond to H1N1 influenza.
The Best Brains Exchange is the first CIHR program to officially bring CIHR to the provincial policymaking table.
2010-2015
2010
CIHR introduces a mandatory requirement for researchers to consider sex and gender factors in their proposals.
With CIHR funding, Dr. Janice Eng tests the Fitness and Mobility Exercise (FAME) program for stroke survivors. Results show that participants in the program were about 30% faster than when they started, with greater muscle strength and good bone density maintenance.
Dr. Pieter Cullis receives a grant from CIHR to study how liposomal nanoparticles, small cellular containers, can encapsulate and carry anticancer drugs to disease sites. Dr. Cullis’s research finds a life-saving application when it proves crucial to the development of mRNA-based vaccines against COVID-19.
The CIHR-funded Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging launches. The CLSA is a large, long-term study designed to follow approximately 50,000 Canadians aged 45 to 85 for at least 20 years to collect data on the physical, social, psychological and biological factors of aging.
The Canadian Medical Association Journal recognizes CIHR-funded work on a new model of care for hip and knee replacements as one of the top six achievements in Canadian health research and the work is adopted internationally.
2010-11
CIHR’s budget hits $1 billion. More than 90% of its budget is invested directly in health research activities.
2011
While studying the genetic determinants of schizophrenia, CIHR-funded molecular geneticist Dr. Shiva Singh and psychiatrist Dr. Richard O'Reilly demonstrate that identical twins are not actually genetically identical.
CIHR launches the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research. SPOR engages patients in the research process, ensuring that health research is focused on patient needs and improving health care outcomes.
2011-12
CIHR responds to shortage in supply of medical isotopes—which are crucial for procedures like medical imaging and cancer treatments—by funding research on alternative methods of production.
2012
CIHR participates in the launch of the European Union Joint Programme—Neurodegenerative Disease Research.
A new drug, Gattex, developed by CIHR-funded researcher Dr. Daniel Drucker is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat patients with short bowel syndrome. Dr. Drucker’s work on another glucagon-like peptide (GLP) receptor paves the way for blockbuster diabetes and weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.
Dr. Kim Boycott founds Care4Rare with funding from CIHR, Genome Canada and other contributors. Care4Rare, based at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, has since helped identify more than 300 novel disease genes and continues to help families receive long-sought-after diagnoses.
2013
CIHR launches the Canadian National Transplant Research Program, uniting transplant researchers with critical care research communities to develop new knowledge and health care practices to address barriers to tissue and organ donation.
2013-14
With funding from CIHR, Drs. Mayank Goyal and Michael Hill undertake the ESCAPE clinical trial. The trial uncovers that endovascular thrombectomy—where medical imaging is used to guide a wire through the body and into the blood vessels to locate and remove blood clots—significantly improves outcomes following stroke compared to standard care alone, revolutionizing stroke treatment.
2014
CIHR launches the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging, a research initiative focused on understanding the causes and progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.
CIHR launches the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Matters (CRISM), a national initiative focused on addressing substance use and addiction in Canada through collaborative research, education and knowledge exchange.
2014-15
CIHR, together with other government partners, plays a significant role in the international efforts to respond to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa by supporting a Phase 1 clinical trial of the made-in-Canada Ebola vaccine. The results demonstrate that the vaccine is safe, and Phase II-III trials confirm that it is highly effective in preventing infection.
2015-2020
2015-16
CIHR quickly mobilizes to respond to the outbreak of Zika virus in Latin America, supporting teams of researchers who investigate how the virus is transmitted, improve diagnostic tests and explore Zika’s links to microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome.
2016
Dr. Janet Rossant starts term as President of the Gairdner Foundation. A CIHR-funded researcher, Dr. Rossant has had several firsts in science, such as identifying the special cells in an embryo that form the placenta—a critical breakthrough in understanding how babies grow during pregnancy. Her groundbreaking discoveries have helped pave the way for advances in medicine.
CIHR-funded researcher Dr. David Malkin develops the Toronto Protocol, a treatment plan that dramatically increases survival after cancer diagnosis for people with Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a rare disorder that leads to cancer.
2016-17
CIHR commits to increasing its investments in Indigenous health research to a minimum of 4.6% (proportional to Canada’s Indigenous population) of its annual budget. CIHR exceeds this figure in 2023-24, when 5.2% of total investments in grants and awards address Indigenous health.
2017
CIHR’s College of Reviewers begins enrolling peer reviewers, growing to 4,500 members by 2017-18.
2017-18
CIHR works to address the opioid crisis. CRISM publishes its National Guideline for the clinical management of opioid use disorder and delivers it to physicians across Canada.
2018
Dr. Michael Strong becomes CIHR’s third President.
CIHR, in collaboration with government partners, responds quickly to the 2018 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by supporting vital research aimed at improving pandemic response capacity.
CIHR launches the Pan-Canadian Research Network on Lyme Disease that establishes two patient cohorts and a biobank.
CIHR launches the Tri-Agency Self-Identification Questionnaire for applicants to all funding competitions to monitor different impacts of funding programs on underrepresented and disadvantaged groups.
CIHR and the other federal research funding agencies launch the Tri-agency grants management initiative (TGMS), a project to modernize their grants management systems to better support applicants, administrators and reviewers.
2018-19
Through its Integrated Cannabis Research Strategy, CIHR supports cannabis health research aimed at building the evidence base on both the benefits and harms of cannabis use.
2019
CIHR launches the Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research. At $100.8 million, NEIHR represents the largest single investment from the Government of Canada in Indigenous health research. NEIHR establishes a network of centres across the country focused on capacity development, research and knowledge mobilization centered on Indigenous Peoples.
CIHR hosts a Health Research Summit in Ottawa where 200 participants provide advice and guidance to CIHR on strategic priorities. Attendees’ advice and perspectives help shape CIHR’s next Strategic Plan.
2019-20
CIHR and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami work together to strengthen Inuit research capacity and host a roundtable on research to support tuberculosis elimination across Inuit Nunangat.
2020-2025
2020
CIHR mobilizes quickly to support a COVID-19 rapid research response. The Agency and its partners go on to invest $450 million to support 967 grants through 45 funding competitions.
CIHR signs on to the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment, a global initiative to support the development and promotion of best practices in the assessment of scholarly research.
The Prime Minister announces new funding for CIHR to create the Centre for Research on Pandemic Preparedness and Health Emergencies. Since its founding, the Centre has gone on to invest in research that addresses avian flu, mpox, COVID-19, vaccine confidence and health misinformation.
2021
CIHR publishes its Strategic Plan 2021–2031: A Vision for a Healthier Future, which follows the most extensive consultation process in CIHR’s history.
To mark the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin, CIHR launches 100 Years of Insulin: Accelerating Canadian Discoveries to Defeat Diabetes. Through this initiative, CIHR funds dozens of diabetes-related research projects.
CIHR receives funding in Budget 2021 to create the National Women’s Health Research Initiative to advance a coordinated research program that addresses under-researched and high-priority areas of women’s health.
2021-22
CIHR supports research to inform the development of national standards for mental health and substance use services.
CIHR publishes Global Health 3.0: CIHR’s Framework for Action on Global Health Research 2021–2026.
2022
CIHR leads a new Clinical Trials Fund to support clinical trials on new vaccines, therapies, treatments and interventions.
CIHR launches the Research Excellence, Diversity, and Independence Early Career Transition Award to support post-doctoral researchers, clinicians and research associates from underrepresented groups in furthering their research faculty careers in Canada.
2022-23
CIHR and partners develop the Integrated Youth Services Network of Networks initiative to facilitate equitable access to high-quality mental health services for youth and their families across the country.
2023
CIHR provides a five-year targeted investment to support the creation of a Canadian post-COVID-19 condition research network called Long COVID Web.
CIHR establishes the Canadian Pediatric Cancer Consortium.
CIHR implements the Rare Disease Research Initiative to advance rare disease research with a focus on developing better diagnostic tools and establishing a robust Canadian rare disease clinical trials network.
2024
With support from funders including CIHR, researchers at McMaster University and Stanford produce a generative AI model that can design new antibiotics from scratch—earning a place on The New York Times’ list of the top AI-related breakthroughs of the year.
CIHR releases its Research Excellence Framework, charting a path toward a future where Canadian health research is recognized as inclusive, collaborative, transparent, culturally safe and focused on real-world impact.
Dr. Paul Hébert is named CIHR’s fourth President.
2025
CIHR celebrates its 25th anniversary.
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