Profile: Welcome Tony George, MD, FRCR(c)

Goal

• Make CAMH the epicentre of addictions and concurrent disorders education and research in Canada

Strategy

• Increase collaboration with other areas of research focus
• Translate basic knowledge into developing specialized treatment programs for clients
• Capitalize on CAMH’s knowledge translation skills

Tactic

• Hire Tony George, M.D., FRCPC, Professor and Endowed Chair in Addiction Psychiatry, University of Toronto, and CAMH’s new Head of Addictions Research and Concurrent Disorders Services

Joining CAMH in September from Yale University, Dr. Tony George has ambitious plans to reinvigorate research and education initiatives for our Addictions and Concurrent Disorders programs.

His vision is rooted in knowledge generation and translation. “I’m interested in testing new treatments through efficacy studies, but at the same time we need to understand if these treatments work in the real world in order for them to be truly effective,” said Dr. George. Understanding how to do treatment work in a community setting, and translating research findings into tools for clinicians will be key success factors for Addictions Research and Concurrent Disorders Services under his leadership.

Collaboration is another important component of his vision. For Dr. George, building bridges with other programs, and therefore working together to understand and treat complex disorders, is vital.

Dr. George describes his general research interests using the theme of additions across the life span – from children and youth, to adults, and geriatric clients. His work examines targeted interventions at all stages of life, and he’s also interested in understanding what concurrent addictions across the lifespan can tell us about the underpinnings of mental illness.

“We’re still trying to figure out which comes first, a psychiatric disorder or an addiction,” said Dr. George. By working with other scientists with different expertise, and studying these problems at all stages of life, “we have an incredible opportunity to share common interests and values, and more fully understand all the elements that influence mental illness and addiction.”

Working a researcher, clinician and administrator, Tony George has big plans for taking our work to the next level of excellence. Making CAMH the epicentre of addictions and concurrent disorders research, education and clinical care in Canada, is an ambitious goal. But for Dr. George, “if CAMH isn’t considered one of the top research and education centers in the world within ten years, then I haven’t done my job.”

 

 

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