Alan Bernstein

Bernstein is the immediate past president of CIFAR (2012-2022), a Canadian-based global research organization which convenes researchers from over 20 countries to address questions of importance to science and humanity. 

He was the founding president (2000-2007) of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canada’s federal agency for the funding of health research, and Executive Director of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise (2008-2011). 

He is a Distinguished Fellow of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto and a Senior Fellow of Massey College. Author of over 240 peer-reviewed publications dealing with the genes involved in cancer and stem cell function, and over 70 opinion pieces in the lay media dealing with science policy, he is widely sought after as an advisor to government, funding agencies and charitable organizations. 

He was recently promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada and  has also been recognized with many honours and awards for his contributions to science and leadership in science. 

Updated July 2023