Professor Rémi Quirion is the inaugural Chief Scientist of Quebec since July 2011 (reappointed twice by different governments; longest serving Chief Scientist in the world). Elected President of the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA) in 2021 (over 6,000 members from 130 countries). McGill Full Professor in Psychiatry since the 1980s and Scientific Director at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute from 1995-2011. He also served as Vice-Dean, Faculty of Medicine at McGill University, as well as Senior University Advisor (Health Sciences Research) to the Principal. Prof Quirion was the inaugural Scientific Director of the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA; 2001-2009). As Chief Scientist, he chairs the Board of Directors of the three Fonds de recherche du Québec. In 2020, the Quebec government asked him to chair a major committee on the future of universities with recommendations currently being implemented. Also directly involved in multiple government strategies focusing on science & innovation as well as the sustainable development goals of the UN.
He has served on multiple national & international boards. During in active career as scientist, he trained over 80 scientists from all over the world; served on editorial boards of more than 15 international journals in Psychiatry, Neuroscience & Pharmacology; and published 5 books & over 750 publications cited over 50,000 times.
He received many awards and recognitions including the Order of Canada (OC); l’Ordre National du Québec (CQ); la Médaille de l’Assemblée nationale du Québec; le Prix Wilder Penfield du Québec; Chevalier de l’Ordre de la Pléiade ; Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada; Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences; Membre de l’Académie de Médecine de France; Membre de l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques de France; Membre du Conseil International des Sciences; Membre du Temple de la Renommée Médicale du Canada & few honorary doctorates.
This page has been updated in May 2024.
