Professor Rhian M Touyz

Full Name: 

Professor Rhian M Touyz  BSc (Hons), MSc (Med), MBBCh, PhD, FRCP, FRSE, FAHA, FESC, FMedSci.

Executive Director and Chief Scientific Officer, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal, Canada

Degrees/Fellowships:

1976          Matriculated with University Entrance Certificate

1979          BSc., major subjects: Anatomy, Physiology.

1980          BSc. (Hons), major subject: Physiology.

1984          MBBCh

1986          MSc. (Med)

1992          PhD.

Place of Employment:

Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre

Current Position:

Executive Director and Chief Scientific Officer, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal, Canada

Area of Research:

Molecular, cellular and vascular biology of hypertension and complications

Leadership Roles:

2007-2011              Chair of Lifestyle modifications subcommittee, Canadian Hypertension Education Program (CHEP) (Annual Canadian guidelines for hypertension treatment)

2008-2010              Chair, Cardiovascular Committee IVB, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada

2007-2011              Chair, Cardiovascular Committee A, Canadian Institutes of Health Research

2008-2012              Member,  Microcirculation study section, National Institutes of Health, (NIH), USA.

2007-2008              President, Canadian Hypertension Society

2009-2011              Vice-Chair, Leadership Committee, Council for High Blood Pressure, American Heart Association (AHA)

2009-2014              Executive member, International Society of Hypertension.

2010-2012              Chair, Leadership Committee, Council for High Blood Pressure, AHA.

2011-2021               Director – Institute of Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow

2014-2020              Director, British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence

2014-                        Member, European Council for Cardiovascular Research (ECCR) Executive Committee

2014-2016              President, International Society of Hypertension

2016-                       Women in Hypertension Research Network, International Society of Hypertension

2016-2018              Vice-President, European Council for Cardiovascular Research

2018-2020              President, European Council for Cardiovascular Research

Reason for joining ECCR:

I joined ECCR because I wanted to associate with a scientific organisation that was small enough to feel like a family but big enough where I could network with the best researchers in cardiovascular sciences. ECCR is a society that proudly promotes the highest quality science, focusing on translational research. As a clinician scientist, I especially like the fact that both clinical researchers and  basic scientists  interact in a welcoming and collegial environment at the ECCR meetings.

Favourite book that you would recommend and why

I am enjoying Yuval Harari- ‘21 Lessons for the 21st Century’ – its thought provoking and makes one question the past, the present and especially the future – in a growing world of data, information, bioinformatics and technology.

Journals that you find interesting

Journals to which I subscribe and that are always on my desk are: New England Journal of Medicine, Nature, Nature Molecular Biology, Hypertension, Clinical Science.

Something personal about yourself outside of work (something you enjoy doing, an unusual hobby or challenge

I love the arts – art, ballet and music. I trained at an Art, Ballet and Music school and feel fortunate to have had an outstanding schooling in the arts and then to go on to a career of science and medicine.