Keough leaves Health Canada posting to take leadership reins at the AHFMR

Dr Kevin Keough is leaving his position as chief scientist at Health Canada to take up the helm at the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR). Keough becomes the third president/CEO in the Foundation’s 24-year history when he assumes the position this July, replacing Dr Matt Spence who held the position since 1990.

Keough came to Ottawa and Health Canada in April 2001 on a three-year executive interchange from Memorial Univ, with an option for two more years. He describes his time there as a great experience and says he made several significant contributions. But when the opportunity at AHFMR came up, he jumped at it.

“At this stage in my career, it was too good an opportunity to pass up on. It has nothing to do with my position here (at Health Canada),” says Keough. “The AHFMR does great work and levers funds from many other sources. It’s the envy of the biomedical and health communities.”

Keough’s departure for Edmonton also ends his relationship with Memorial, where he enjoyed a 28-year career as a researcher and in the 1990s served as VP research and international affairs. During his tenure as chief scientist he maintained a laboratory at Memorial, but now it will be passed on to others.

Heading up the AHFMR, Keough will be responsible for building and maintaining its contribution to Alberta’s health research system in concert with the national and international communities. He will guide the Foundation’s planning, operations and strategic direction, reporting to its nine-member board of trustees.

AHFMR funds a variety of health research activities from the proceeds of its $840-million endowment, which has shrunk from a high of more than $1 billion due to the recent downturn in the financial markets. AHFMR’s investment decisions are made by the provincial treasury. With a 2003 budget of more than $70 million, it supports more than 200 senior researchers and approximately 350 researchers-in-training.

“The Foundation’s focus is on Alberta but it’s good overall for Canadian health research,” says Keough. “In the future there will be more opportunities to partner with other players such as the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Genome Canada and a number of provincial agencies.”

Keough acknowledges that he wasn’t able to accomplish all his goals while at Health Canada, but he can point to a number of significant, mostly process-related achievements. Armed with a $5 -million fund to assist in the implementation of new internal activities and external collaborations, he spearheaded the development of a framework for science at Health Canada, establishing a set of criteria that were aligned with the departmental mandate. He was also able to begin the development of principles related to innovation and stewardship which are already being adopted by various departmental branches. Other accomplishments include an improved database for science, the introduction of post doctoral fellowships, the establishment of an ethics board for human subjects in research and the introduction of external peer review for Health Canada programs and partnered programs.

As well, Keough created the Health Canada Research Forum. The first well-attended event featured Dr Donald Low and Dr Frank Plummer — two key players in Canada’s successful battle to contain the outbreak of SARS.

“Having a chief scientist position helped to get Canada’s good science better known. It made for a significant voice for science at the senior tables as I participated in many discussions at the highest level,” says Keough. “Many of my achievements were processes but they are important and can often make the best contribution.”

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