A message from Rob McMaster, Vice-Dean, Research, UBC Faculty of Medicine
I am pleased to announce that Dr. Kathleen Martin Ginis has been reappointed as the Director, Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management (CCDPM), and the Reichwald Family UBC Southern Medical Program Chair in Preventive Medicine to June 30, 2027.
Dr. Martin Ginis is a Distinguished University Scholar and a Professor in the Faculty’s Department of Medicine, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and in UBC’s Okanagan School of Health and Exercise Sciences. In addition, she is a recipient of the Government of Ontario Medal of Good Citizenship for advancing the well-being of people with spinal cord injury through her longstanding contributions to science. She is also the Principal Investigator of the Canadian Disability Participation Project, a SSHRC-funded Partnership that brings together more than 50 university, public, private and government sector partners to improve physical activity, employment and mobility among Canadians living with disabilities.
The focus of Dr. Martin Ginis’s research is placed on understanding and changing physical activity behaviour. She has a particular interest in physical activity among people with spinal cord injury and other types of physical disabilities. She is deeply committed to knowledge translation; specifically, the development and implementation of evidence-based best-practices to improve health and well-being among people with disabilities. Dr. Martin Ginis spearheaded the formulation and knowledge translation of international scientific exercise guidelines for adults with spinal cord injury. Most recently, she led the first-ever paper on physical activity in people with disabilities, for the Lancet’s quadrennial Physical Activity Series.
As Director, CCDPM, Dr. Martin Ginis is committed to foundational research, clinical research, quality improvement, program evaluation and knowledge translation to build the groundwork of community-engaged research that focuses on management and prevention of chronic health conditions. Through Dr. Martin Ginis’ leadership as Director, the Centre has grown to 61 members including investigators, clinicians and trainees. The establishment of a highly successful Clinical Research and Quality Improvement Incubator program has resulted in a success rate of 75% for research funding applications. Dr. Martin Ginis will continue to advance CCDPM’s direction to collaboratively accelerate research and knowledge translation in the field of chronic diseases; harness collective research strengths from UBC Okanagan, Interior Health, and local clinicians; foster new opportunities that expand research excellence across BC; and achieve research excellence through competitive funding and recognition both nationally and internationally.
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Martin Ginis on her reappointments and thank her for her continued leadership and dedication to these valued endeavors.
