Canada Research Chair Christopher Mushquash recognized with Canada Gairdner Momentum Award
By Rick Garrick
THUNDER BAY — Canada Research Chair Christopher Mushquash, a Pays Plat citizen, was recently recognized with a Canada Gairdner Momentum Award, reserved for mid-career Canadian researchers, by the Gairdner Foundation. Mushquash received one of two Momentum Awards and one of eight 2023 Canada Gairdner Awards announced on March 30. The Gairdner Foundation was established in 1957 and is dedicated to fulfilling James A. Gairdner’s vision to recognize major research contributions to the treatment of disease and alleviation of human suffering. Since its inception, 410 awards have been bestowed on laureates from more than 40 countries, and of those awardees, 96 have gone on to receive Nobel Prizes.
“The ground-breaking work of this year’s laureates has resulted in innovative, globally accessible tools to fight diseases and improve our well-being,” says Jean-Yves Duclos, minister of Health. “The work of two Canadian researchers – Dr. Christopher Mushquash and Dr. Gelareh Zadeh especially stands out. Dr. Zadeh’s research to better understand brain tumours and Dr. Mushquash’s research on Indigenous-led mental health and substance use will be transformative in improving the quality of life of so many here in Canada and around the world.”
Michael J. Strong, president of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), also congratulated the award recipients for their groundbreaking research.
“It is specifically noteworthy to see Dr. Christopher Mushquash as a recipient of the 2023 Canada Gairdner Momentum Award,” Strong says. “Chris’s contributions to our understanding of mental health amongst Indigenous communities are already profoundly affecting the needs of Indigenous peoples. As a member of CIHR’s Institute for Indigenous Peoples Health Advisory Board, Chris has provided the same critical thinking to advancing Indigenous research in Canada.”
Mushquash, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Mental Health and Addiction, professor in the Department of Psychology and director of the Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research at Lakehead University, psychologist at Dilico Anishinabek Family Care, vice president research at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and chief scientist at Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute, received his award for Indigenous-led mental health and substance use research that leads to culturally and contextually appropriate services for Indigenous children, adolescents and adults.
“It’s a huge honour and quite a tremendous surprise as well,” Mushquash says. “For me, the highlights [of my career] really have just been the opportunities to work so closely with so many different people who are interested in improving mental health and addictions but as well health for Indigenous peoples broadly and for people in our communities.”
Mushquash says he has undergrad and masters degrees from Lakehead University and a PhD from Dalhousie University in Halifax as well as a pre-doctoral clinical residency in the Max Rady College of Medicine at the University of Manitoba.
“Since I was a trainee, I tried to focus on training experiences that allowed me to learn more about how to practice rurally and remotely and with First Nations people,” Mushquash says. “I was very fortunate to have been supported and mentored by a great many people, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, in terms of how to develop the types of skills that I might need to do that type of work.”
Mushquash says the priority of his work at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute is to ensure there is a research environment that allows for innovation and very best of clinical care for people in northwestern Ontario.
“The work there is really involved in trying to ensure that research and innovation are contributing to health care, health systems improvement, and ultimately, better health outcomes for people in northwestern Ontario,” Mushquash says.