Dr. Robert McMaster

Vice Dean, Research & Professor, Department of Medical Genetics, UBC Faculty of Medicine

Dr. Robert McMaster is a Professor, Department of Medical Genetics. He brings considerable administrative experience and intellectual vigor to the role and is well-positioned to foster scientific collaborations between the Faculty and its health authority partners.

Dr. McMaster received a Bachelor and Master of Science from UBC, followed by a D.Phil. from the University of Oxford. A Professor in the Department of Medical Genetics, he has focused his research on molecular immunology, parasitology and transplant immunology. He previously served as Head of the Department of Medical Genetics from 2000 to 2010, and has also served as Vice President Research for Vancouver Coastal Health, Executive Director of the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI), Director of the Immunity and Infection Research Centre of VCHRI and Director of Transplant Immunology for B.C. Transplant.

As the Vice Dean, Research, Dr. McMaster will lead the development of a health and life sciences research strategy and ensure the research is translational and of the highest caliber. He will provide guidance to health research program leaders and ensure resources are supported effectively across the Faculty on all campuses and health authorities. He will also play a key role in formulating the research component of the Faculty’s new strategic plan, and will ensure that the Faculty’s activities align with the plan’s priorities.

Michelle McLean

Michelle is an experienced lawyer, public affairs professional and leader in both the corporate and not-for-profit sectors. She is passionate about working to create positive change that will improve the health and lives of Canadians and building teams who share that goal. Over the past 20 years, Michelle has had the privilege of providing strategic counsel and leadership to a wide array of organizations in the health and life sciences sector. Having led the development of many national communications, stakeholder engagement and government relations strategies and campaigns, she is best known as a skilled and strategic advocate who has secured significant policy and funding commitments at the federal level.

Some of the organizations she has worked for include Innovative Medicines Canada, Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, Mental Health Commission of Canada, Canadian Blood Services, TELUS Health, The Ottawa Hospital, the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI powered by Baycrest), Health Charities Coalition of Canada, Canadian Cancer Society, Heart & Stroke Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Canada, Kids Help Phone, Diabetes Canada, ALS Canada, and many other health charities.

Michelle also has many years of experience working with the health research sector. Her work with Research Canada spans over a decade, and she has recently worked closely with the Stem Cell Network. She has helped organizations like TRIUMF (Canada’s largest government-funded research facility), the Canadian Cancer Society and Ovarian Cancer Canada, to secure hundreds of millions of dollars in health research funding.

Michelle is an accomplished business and people leader who has built and led many high performing teams and organizations in her career. She is widely recognized as a collaborative relationship builder and creative problem solver, and for her commitment to nurturing a thriving and inclusive workplace culture. Her leadership experience includes three years as Vice-President of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and 4 years as the Ottawa General Manager and National Executive team member at Hill + Knowlton Strategies.