Today, Dr. Paul Hébert, President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), announced that Dr. Rae Yeung has been appointed Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (CIHR-IMHA) for a term of four years, starting October 1, 2025.
Dr. Yeung is one of the world's leading experts on childhood inflammatory diseases. She is a Professor of Paediatrics, Immunology and Medical Science at the University of Toronto's Temerty Faculty of Medicine, and a Staff Physician and Senior Scientist at The Hospital For Sick Children (SickKids). Her research focuses on precision medicine in childhood arthritis and rheumatic diseases, tailoring treatments to each patient based on presentation and biology.
By pairing phenotype with molecular insights, Dr. Yeung is uncovering the mechanisms that drive autoimmunity, with the goal of improving diagnosis, treatment, outcomes and prevention. With this innovative approach, Dr. Yeung has become internationally recognized for translational research that has transformed the clinical care of Kawasaki Disease and other inflammatory conditions.
Dr. Yeung also leads national and international efforts to develop guidance for the diagnosis and management of disease and to understand the underlying causes and progression of childhood arthritis and vasculitis. She is the driving force behind the Understanding Childhood Arthritis Network (UCAN), an international federation of research networks that involves over 50 countries with translational research hubs on three continents. UCAN has become a scalable model to improve health in many inflammatory conditions - from those affecting bones, joints and muscles to diseases associated with COVID-19.
During Dr. Yeung's term, CIHR-IMHA will be located at SickKids in Toronto.
