Today, Dr. Paul Hébert, President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), announced the appointment of Dr. Keith Fowke as Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity for a four-year term, effective July 1, 2026.
A Professor and Head of the Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Manitoba, Dr. Fowke has led globally impactful, multidisciplinary research and training programs in partnership with collaborators in Canada and internationally. His research focuses on defining the cellular immune mechanisms of resistance to viral infections and the control of infection. Dr. Fowke is well known for his engagement in research partnerships with sex worker communities in Nairobi, Kenya where he and his colleagues are working to understand why some people who are highly exposed to HIV remain uninfected. This research may lead to new ways to prevent and clear HIV infection.
Besides his work in Kenya, Dr. Fowke also lends his considerable expertise to collaborations with community groups in the Winnipeg area and to serving in leadership roles with national research organizations. He has served as the President and Board Member of the Canadian Association for HIV Research. He is also past Chair of CIHR's HIV/AIDS and STBBI Research Advisory Committee. Dr. Fowke was elected to the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences in 2021.
During Dr. Fowke's term, the Institute will be hosted at the University of Manitoba.
