Posted on March 3: International specialist recruited to Canada to hold newly established chair in gastrointestinal research at McMaster

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Drs-Richard-Hunt-Paul-Moayy.jpg” caption=”Richard Hunt, Paul Moayyedi and Stephen Collin”]McMaster University today announced the appointment of Paul Moayyedi, MD, as the first holder of the Richard Hunt-Astra Zeneca Chair in Gastroenterology.

The endowed chair is funded by a $1-million donation from Richard Hunt, MD, a professor of medicine at McMaster and matched by a $1-million donation from AstraZeneca Inc.

Moayyedi, 41, is currently a professor of gastroenterology health services research at the University of Birmingham, England.

He will join McMaster's Department of Medicine on April 1, 2004 where, as the holder of the new chair in gastoenterology, he will continue his population-based research into common gastrointestinal disorders, health services delivery and the evaluation of decision making strategies around gastrointestinal disease.

Moayyedi has been recognized internationally for his work in evaluating the management of dyspepsia, the potential for population Helicobacter pylori screening and treatment to prevent gastric cancer and has conducted one of the world's largest cross-sectional survey evaluating Irritable Bowel Syndrome in the community.

He obtained his medical degree in Bristol in 1988, completed his gastroenterology training at Leeds' General Infirmary, and holds a PhD and Masters in Public Health from the University of Leeds.

“The GI research and care group at McMaster is among the top five in the world. This is part of our recruitment campaign that will move us towards our goal of having the number one research and care group in the world,” said John Kelton, dean and vice-president of health sciences at McMaster.

Richard Hunt has been a professor at McMaster for more than 20 years. He was the first director of the Intestinal Disease Research Unit, and of the Division of Gastroenterology at McMaster University, and helped to establish its international reputation.

“I am delighted that the Department of Medicine and the Division of Gastroenterology can pursue their goals in support of health care research with the establishment of this chair,” said Hunt. “It has been the work of a dedicated team of scientists who have worked over the years to establish international excellence in clinical pharmacology and in the management of acid related disorders and our success in attracting research funds to McMaster that has made this donation possible.”

In addition to matching the funding of this Chair in Gastroenterology, AstraZeneca Canada Inc., has invested more than $2 million at McMaster University aimed at developing therapeutic interventions for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

Over the past year, scientists from AstraZeneca have worked with an integrated group of clinical and basic scientists from McMaster's Intestinal Disease Research Program (IDRP) to find new treatments for IBS and IBD. This research will seek to identify new therapies for the 1.8 million Canadians suffering from IBS, and the 200,000 Canadians who have IBD.

The McMaster team consists of Stephen Collins, head of gastroenterology at McMaster University, professor Mary Perdue and Gervais Tougas.

“Until recently, it has been difficult to find new treatments for IBS as we had a very limited understanding of its causes. We now know that intestinal infections, such as food or water poisoning, can lead to IBS and this has enabled us to develop models for new drug discovery,” said Collins.

“We're pleased to be launching another innovative partnership with McMaster,” said Mike Cloutier, president and CEO of AstraZeneca Canada Inc. “By establishing this chair, we are helping expand Canada's capacity for pharmaceutical research. For it is only through the creation of such alliances and government policies that encourage innovation that Canada will be able to ensure its position at the forefront of global healthcare research.”

Chairholder Moayyedi said: “It is an enormous honour to be the first recipient of the Richard-Hunt Astra Zeneca Chair in Gastroenterology. I am very excited about the prospect of joining such an internationally renowned gastrointestinal research team as well as collaborating with world class departments of epidemiology and health economics.”

Moayyedi, his wife and two children will make their home in Ancaster.

Photo caption: Pictured from left, Richard Hunt, Paul Moayyedi and Stephen Collin at today's announcement. Photo credit: Rob Tatlock