AllerGen begins NCE wind-down
After receiving the full 14 years of national Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) funding, today—April 1, 2019—AllerGen begins a two-year wind-down of its NCE mandate.
Dr. Judah Denburg, who has led the Network since its planning stages in 2002, remains as AllerGen’s Scientific Director. He will continue to guide the completion of AllerGen’s research investments toward realizing their full potential for social and economic impact.
Dr. Diana Royce assumes the role of President and Chief Executive Officer of AllerGen NCE Inc. She will oversee the NCE wind-down phase, which will focus on facilitating commercialization, knowledge mobilization and the continued business-related operations of the Network’s high-impact, sustainable Legacy Initiatives – the CHILD Cohort Study, the Clinical Investigator Collaborative and the National Food Allergy Strategic Team.
The NCE wind-down period does not support ongoing Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) programming, so Leah Graystone (AllerGen’s HQP and Events Coordinator, 2017-2019) has transitioned to exciting new career opportunities that will build on her AllerGen experience. AllerGen trainees, investigators, committee members, partners and stakeholders thank Leah for her outstanding contributions to AllerGen’s success and for coordinating a highly transformational series of initiatives that have prepared the next generation of clinicians, researchers, and leaders in the field of allergies and asthma.
The rest of the Administrative Centre staff remain in their current roles during the wind-down phase.
- Marshall Beck – Digital Initiatives Manager
- Graziella Infanti – Executive Assistant
- Cathy Jiang – Senior Accountant
- April O’Connell – Manager, Research Programs
- Kim Wright – Director, Communications and Knowledge Mobilization
Also, as announced in March 2019, the CHILD Cohort Study’s National Coordinating Centre (NCC) has co-located with the AllerGen Administrative Centre at McMaster University—the Network’s host institution since 2004.
Drs Denburg and Royce and the AllerGen Administrative team remain committed to ensuring the achievement of AllerGen’s mission, vision and goals at the highest standards of excellence to the end of our NCE mandate. They look forward to working with each of you to ensure that Canadians continue to benefit from their investments in and achievements of our Network by continuing to support AllerGen’s Legacy Initiatives for many years to come.
Pictured above: members of AllerGen’s Research Management Committee (RMC) at AllerGen’s ninth and final Research Conference in Toronto, January 2019.