McMaster researcher and Indigenous scholar Chelsea Gabel is the new Scientific Director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health (IIPH).

The IIPH develops research capacity in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities; and supports partnerships and alliances between Indigenous communities and health research groups in a way that respects Indigenous values, beliefs and cultures.

Gabel’s appointment recognizes her as a leader in her field and a champion of health research, knowledge mobilization, and capacity development at the highest level of excellence.

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Gabel’s four-year appointment comes after a careful and consultative approach with national Indigenous bodies, Indigenous and non-Indigenous health experts and an Advisory Circle, says Tammy Clifford, CIHR’s acting president.

“I am delighted to welcome Chelsea Gabel as the newest member of our Science Council,” Clifford says.

“As Scientific Director of our Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health, Dr. Gabel will guide our efforts to pursue leadership and self-determination of Indigenous Peoples in health research while improving the health and wellness of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples in Canada.”

A citizen of the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) and the first Red River Métis woman in this position, Gabel says she’s honoured and humbled to assume this important role.

“Prior to the creation of IIPH, Canada lacked a national body to support Indigenous health research and training,” says Gabel, the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Well-Being, Community Engagement and Innovation and is an associate professor in the departments of Health, Aging and Society and Indigenous Studies.

“Through the leadership of Dr. Jeff Reading and Dr. Malcolm King, along with the efforts of IIPH staff and the Institute Advisory Board, we saw the development of funding opportunities, training grants, and research ethics guidelines that have revolutionized Indigenous health research in this country.”

“These initiatives have empowered Indigenous communities to dream, lead, and conduct research that is developed in collaboration with, by, and for Métis, Inuit, and First Nation communities. While this journey has certainly had its challenges, I am strongly committed to advancing our work in a positive and meaningful way.”

McMaster President David Farrar says it’s an honour for the university to host the Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health and contribute to advancing the national research agenda to improve and promote the health of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities across Canada.

“Dr. Gabel’s outstanding research achievements and leadership acumen, which have been instrumental in expanding McMaster’s Indigenous research initiatives, will be a tremendous asset to the Institute, helping to drive collaborative research and knowledge creation,” he says.

Gabel is recognized as a leader in community-engaged research, providing valuable insights into the experiences of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

She previously led the Indigenous Mentorship Network (IMN) of Ontario and the Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research (NEIHR) National Coordinating Centre.

She produced a groundbreaking report on Indigenous health care in rural Manitoba and has spearheaded multiple digital storytelling projects documenting Métis experiences with health and well-being across the prairie provinces.

Frances Chartrand, Minister of Health and Wellness, Manitoba Métis Federation, National Government of the Red River Métis, extended congratulations on behalf of the Manitoba Métis Federation—National Government of the Red River Métis.

“We look forward to working with Dr. Gabel as she continues to demonstrate her unwavering commitment to supporting and improving the quality and quantity of research conducted on Indigenous peoples, including those of the Red River Métis.”

Valerie O’Brien, research coordinator for McMaster-based IMN-Ontario, will work with Gabel as IIPH’s operations manager.

O’Brien is Mushkegowuk Cree and a member of the Weenusk First Nation. She has over 20 years’ experience working in Indigenous health research with a strong affiliation with the NEIHR, first established in 2002.

Gabel says she’s thankful to all who have supported her and made sacrifices that enabled her to be in this role, while noting McMaster’s leadership in Indigenous research and education.

“I’m so proud to be a part of a department that hosts the most Indigenous faculty of any similar department in North America,” she says. “So much of our success is thanks to the incredible leadership of our Chair, Rob Innes.”

McMaster is now home to two of CIHR’s 13 institutes. In addition to the IIPH, it has hosted the Institute of Infection and Immunity since 2018, under the leadership of Charu Kaushic.