Robert Haché, a molecular and cellular biologist and biochemist, will assume the role of vice-president research & innovation at York University for a five-year term, effective July 1, 2011.
The announcement of Haché's appointment was made yesterday by York President &
Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri. “I am thrilled that Dr. Haché is coming to York University,” said Shoukri. “Dr. Haché's ideas, experience and skills will enable us to continue to enhance our increasingly strong research profile, and expand into one of Canada’s leading interdisciplinary research and teaching universities.”
Right: Robert Haché
Haché is currently the associate vice-president research at the University of Calgary, where he has played a key role in advancing strategic research priorities. He has also held appointments in the university's Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy in the Faculty of Medicine, and in the Department of Biological Sciences in the Faculty of Science, where he maintained an active research program. Previously, he spent 18 years at the University of Ottawa, the last 12 in a series of research leadership positions that ended with a term as vice-dean, research for the Faculty of Medicine.
“I am delighted to be coming to York at what is sure to be a promising time in its history,” said Haché. “I look forward to working with faculty and researchers to further the development of its rapidly growing and internationally-recognized research enterprise.”
A molecular and cellular biologist and biochemist, Haché has made important contributions to the understanding of how steroid hormone signaling takes place in cells and how cells respond to DNA damaging agents. He has chaired and been a member of a number of boards and advisory committees associated with research development and research management. Haché received his BSc in biochemistry from McGill University and his PhD in biochemistry from Queen's University.
Haché has been the recipient of many research grants and awards, including from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Heart & Stroke Foundation, the National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC), The Cancer Research Society Inc., The Arthritis Society and the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). He is the author of more than 130 scientific articles and abstracts and has delivered many distinguished invited presentations on various aspects of his research.
“I would like to thank Stan Shapson for his outstanding leadership and friendship,” Shoukri said of York's outgoing vice-president research & innovation. “During his time at York, Stan was instrumental in advancing York’s research and innovation mandate, as well as raising the University’s profile externally. Among his many contributions, Stan helped to oversee the launch of the Markham Convergence Centre, an important research initiative in the provincial government’s ONE Network.”
Added Shoukri: “I am grateful to Stan for all that he has achieved over the years at York, and wish him well in all of his future endeavours.”