Dr.Michael J. Strong became the President of the Canadian Institutes of HealthResearch in October, 2018.  Prior tothis, he served as the Dean of the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry atWestern University where he continues to hold an appointment as a DistinguishedUniversity Professor and a Scientist at the Robarts Research Institute. Heundertook his medical training at Queens University in Kingston (1976 – 1982),neurology training at Western University (1982 – 1987), and postgraduatetraining at the Laboratory of Central Nervous System Studies (director - D.Carleton Gadjusek, Nobel Laureate) at the National Institutes of Health,Bethesda, Maryland under the supervision of Ralph M. Garruto, PhD (1987 -1990). 

Hehas published over 195 peer-reviewed articles and 29 chapters, edited 4textbooks and given over 170 invited lectures nationally and internationallyrelated to his research in ALS. Dr. Strong was awarded the Sheila Essay Awardin 2005 and the Forbes Norris Award in 2008, and is the only Canadian to havereceived both international awards for ALS research. He was elected as a fellowof the American Academy of Neurology in 2008. In 2009, he was elected a Fellowof the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.

Hisresearch has focused on understanding the cellular biology of ALS (Lou Gehrig’sdisease) including the role of altered RNA metabolism in the genesis ofneuronal cytoplasmic inclusions and in the clinicopathological correlates ofthe frontotemporal spectrum disorder that can be associated with ALS. Thelatter has led to an appreciation for the role of alterations in tau proteinmetabolism in ALS.