we take a moment to recognize and reflect on the immeasurable contributions that Dr. Gerry Wright has had on building this Institute over the past 15 years as its inaugural Director. It is through Dr. Wright’s vision, dedication, and persistence that McMaster has cemented its reputation as a beacon of excellence in infectious disease research. I think it is safe to say that that every single person engaged in infectious disease research at McMaster over the past 15+ years has benefited from Dr. Wright’s leadership. Indeed, Dr. Wright embodies the quintessential qualities of all great leaders – the ability to inspire and mobilize those around him towards a common goal, the drive to succeed no matter how great the challenge, and most importantly, selfless dedication to those he serves. Indeed, while many can point very directly to ways in which Dr. Wright has elevated their research, he takes greatest pride in those unnoticed actions (“ploughing snow” – as Dr. Wright would say) that clear the road ahead before others ever notice or encounter an obstacle. 

​

Far from stepping back, Dr. Wright has been hard at work enacting his vision to expand McMaster’s reputation as an international hub for multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral leadership in addressing the diverse challenges posed by infectious diseases. As Lead of Canada’s Global Nexus for Pandemics and Biological Threats (“Global Nexus”), Dr. Wright quickly recognized the gaps in our preparedness exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and mobilized an unprecedent, university-wide effort to respond to those challenges by engaging experts from all 6 Faculties, partners in government, public health, and the private sector. Global Nexus presents a wealth of exciting new opportunities for our Institute, and I look forward to working closely with Dr. Wright in this new role to ensure that our collective ambitions are realized.

​

I would also like to extend my deepest thanks to Dr. Lori Burrows, who generously led the Institute through a very challenging ~1.5 years as interim Director. Like Dr. Wright, Dr. Burrows leads by example. She is an inspirational and extraordinarily accomplished scientist who has consistently gone out of her way to give back to the scientific community. I am thrilled that Lori will continue to provide leadership to the Institute as Associate Director. I will benefit immensely from her wisdom and experience as I transition into this new role.

​

On behalf of the entire Institute, it is with great pleasure that I extend a warm welcome to our keynote speaker, Dr. Martha Clokie, Professor of Microbiology at the University of Leicester. Dr. Clokie is an international leader in bacteriophage biology who has made pioneering contributions to the development of phage-based therapeutics. This is a rapidly expanding area with tremendous promise to change the way we treat difficult bacterial infections. We look forward to Dr. Clokie’s lecture and to interactions with our trainees, staff, and faculty throughout the day.

​

One of the most enjoyable aspects of Trainee Day is the recognition of our trainees’ accomplishments with a series of prestigious scholarships that have become the pinnacle of achievement within the Institute. It also provides us with a chance to honour and remember Michael Kamin Hart and Michael Kiley. Michael Kamin Hart was an IIDR trainee who passed away in 2011 after a courageous battle with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. During his time in Dr. Justin Nodwell’s laboratory, Michael purified and solved the structure of a potent antimicrobial called “13-deoxytetrodecamycin”. Michael Kiley was a loving father who lost his battle to a drug-resistant “superbug”. We are extraordinarily grateful to both the Hart and Kiley families for their continuing support of our staff and trainees.

​

My sincere thanks to all of your for joining us today and especially to the organizing committee who has worked for months behind the scenes to make this day possible. Despite the challenges of the past several years, we have much to celebrate!