Hospital and research institute to benefit from VP of research

When it comes to Michael Wood, it seems the local health community got their man.

After hiring one of the largest international recruiting firms and short-listing 3 of 200 candidates, the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute announced the arrival of Woods as their first vice-president of research Friday morning. Wood will work for both institutions to make sure scientific discoveries at TBRRI benefit patients at TBRHSC and eventually gain commercial interest.

Wood said Friday that while he’s excited with the possibilities his new role has to offer, patients benefiting from scientific advances in Thunder Bay is his top priority.

"First and foremost we want to make sure that the patients at the health sciences centre can take advantage of advances that they might be able to benefit from," Wood said.

Wood left a similar job in Wisconsin to come to Thunder Bay because of the partnerships he saw between all three levels of government and the medical industry to integrate research into patient care and commercial ventures.

"It’s beautiful the two are naturally aligned in this case and I think that’s one of the key success factors in Thunder Bay," Woods said. "One of the reasons I came to Thunder Bay frankly was the positioning of resources that are just waiting to be used."

TBRRI CEO Michael Power said while Woods is the first person to fill the position, the hospital and institute have been thinking about a vice-president of research since the hospital opened. He said its part of the transition for the hospital from community care to an elite group of academic health sciences centres.

"It’s a real statement to the international community that Thunder Bay and TBRHSC are advancing patient care through a research lens," Power said.

Along with Wood, the city is also gaining its first vascular neurologist through his wife Margaret Sweet.

Sweet said she is excited to join a great program in the region for stroke victims and will help in everything from co-ordination to patient care to help with stroke prevention and recovery.