Today, Dr. Paul Hébert, President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), announced the appointment of Dr. Mary Jung as Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes (CIHR-INMD) for a term of four years, starting January 1, 2026.
Dr. Jung is one of Canada's leading experts in the development and evaluation of evidence-based interventions to promote healthy behaviours and prevent chronic health conditions. She is a Professor in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus (UBC Okanagan) and Director of UBC's Centre for Health Behaviour Change and the Diabetes Prevention Research Group.
With funding from CIHR, Dr. Jung has studied the clinical- and cost-effectiveness, implementation, and sustainability of Small Steps for Big Changes, a diabetes prevention program developed and tested in her laboratory. The program aims to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in people with prediabetes-a condition that affects approximately 3 million Canadians. Only 5% percent of people with prediabetes in Canada are referred to a prevention program despite evidence that diet and exercise modifications can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 70%. Through a research partnership with YMCA locations, Dr. Jung's program has been scaled up in more than 50 urban cities in 8 provinces in Canada and sites in Australia and Portugal. Those who have participated in Small Steps for Big Changes demonstrate significant remission rates of prediabetes, measurable and sustained gains in fitness as well as decreases in blood pressure and weight loss at 12-month follow up.
During Dr. Jung's term, CIHR-INMD will be located at UBC Okanagan.
