Jacques Genest

Jacques Genest
Born	(1919-05-29)May 29, 1919 Montreal, Quebec
Died	January 5, 2018(2018-01-05)(aged 98)
Alma mater	University of Montreal(M.D.)

Jacques GenestCCGOQFRSC(May 29, 1919 – January 5, 2018) was a Canadian physician and scientist. He founded theInstitut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM)and was an emeritus professor at Université de Montréaland a professor atMcGill University.Genest was best known for founding and leading several organizations related to clinical research in Québec and for his work on arterial hypertension.

Life and career

Born inMontreal,Quebec,Genest received his medical degree from theUniversity of Montreal.He completed his residency in internal medicine and pathology at theHôpital Hôtel-Dieu de Montréalbefore heading toJohns Hopkinsin Baltimore, Maryland for a research fellowship. He was then a research associate and assistant physician at theRockefeller Institutein New York City, which later awarded him an honorary degree in 1986.

Upon returning toQuebec,he was asked by the provincial government to perform a study of the state of research in the province. Following his visits to major universities and research institutions of the United States and Europe, he concluded that Québec lagged behind in this sector. He therefore founded the first department of clinical research at Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal in 1952. Though he had the confidence on the administration, this move was poorly received by his colleagues, who disapproved of a physician being salaried and freed from clinical tasks to devote himself to the study of hypertension. However, the lack of financing and of laboratory space complicated the growth of the department. In 1955 the department was recognized by theRoyal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canadafor basic science training, leading to an improvement in his colleagues' opinions. The department became the only place offering both clinical and research education for physicians. Jacques Genest acceded to the presidency of the medical council of Hôtel-Dieu in 1958. Furthermore, he created the Club de Recherches Cliniques du Québec (CRCQ), a place for discourse betweenfrancophoneresearchers.

Now more firmly established, the department recruited dozens of researchers between 1952 and 1967. The department established close ties withJ.S.L. Browne,director of the department of Investigative Medicine atMcGill University,who offered interns the opportunity to round out their clinical studies with a solid theoretical foundation. In 1964, Jacques Genest was named director of the Department of Medicine of the Faculty of Medicine of theUniversity of Montréal.He continued at the same time to work towards the elaboration of a council of medical research in Québec which would permit governmental finance of research. Indeed, today theFonds de la recherche en santé du Québec(FRSQ) awards scholarships and grants to researchers in the health sciences. Also in 1964, McGill offered Genest the post of Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. This position offered him support sufficient to lay the cornerstone for a research institute. With the help of noted lawyerMarcel Piché,they founded the Claude Bernard Medical Center, which is known today as the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM). The provincial minister of healthAlphonse Couturierallocated critical funds towards the foundation of this institution. Genest guided this foundation from 1967 through 1984. He also contributed to the establishment of a center for the study ofbioethicswithin the IRCM.

He died on 5 January 2018 at the age of 98.

Scientific research

His interests in arterialhypertensionled him to uncover the role ofsodium,aldosterone,andangiotensin IIin therenin-angiotensin system. He established tests for renin activity in plasma, which were important for the diagnosis of renovascular hypertension and as a predictor of the efficacy of surgical intervention. Additionally, he worked on thenatriureticfactor present in heartatria.

Honours

• In 1963, he was awarded theGairdner Foundation International Award.
• In 1967, he was made a Companion of theOrder of Canada.
• In 1968, he was awarded theRoyal Society of Canada'sFlavelle Medal.
• In 1978, he was awarded the Loyola Medal byConcordia University.
• In 1991, he was made a Grand Officer of theNational Order of Quebec.
• In 1994, he was inducted into theCanadian Medical Hall of Fame.
• In 1996, he was awarded the Québec government'sPrix Armand-Frappier.

External links

• Jacques GenestatThe Canadian Encyclopedia