More than 150 local and international researchers gathered for PHRI’s “Building on Progress for the Future” scientific symposium to celebrate 25 years of research that has shaped healthcare guidelines and practices worldwide.
Over two days, the event featured discussions on a variety of topics including challenges in global health, the impact of climate change on health and cardiovascular disease, advances in managing acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation, health research priorities in low- and middle-income countries, understanding the pathology and treatment of uncommon conditions, and incorporation of digital health methods in prevention and treatment.
Since its establishment in 1999, PHRI has grown from a small team to an organization bringing together more than 300 staff and nearly 60 researchers. With more than 60 ongoing studies, today PHRI’s research involves more than 1.33 million participants from 105 countries across six continents. PHRI has published more than 6000 papers, and its research findings have received 11 regulatory approvals.
PHRI’s research areas expanded over the years to include a variety of fields including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, brain health, perioperative medicine and surgery, stroke, thrombosis, renal diseases, infectious diseases, population genetics, health systems. Thus, becoming a world leader in large clinical trials, population health studies and epidemiology.
During the symposium, PHRI Senior Scientist Jeff Healey and John Eikelboom paid tribute to the late Senior Scientist Stuart Connolly, who we lost this past year. They shared insights and highlights from his work in stroke prevention that have saved countless lives.
The event also celebrated 25 years of visionary leadership by PHRI’s Founding Executive Director, Salim Yusuf, who will continue his work at PHRI as Emeritus Executive Director. A gala dinner was held at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, where speeches were delivered by PHRI Interim Executive Director Hertzel Gerstein, Dean and Vice-President of McMaster University’s Faculty of Health Sciences Paul O’Byrne, and Senior Scientist Sonia Anand. To honor Yusuf, PHRI Senior Scientist Jackie Bosch, who has been with the institute since its early days, presented him with a painting of the Population Health Research Institute building.
