Lawson researchers elected to Royal Society of Canada

Drs. Cheryl Forchuk and Ruth Lanius have been elected as Fellows with the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) in recognition of their significant contributions to mental health research.

Dr. Forchuk, Assistant Scientific Director at Lawson and the Beryl and Richard Ivey Research Chair in Aging, Mental Health, Rehabilitation and Recovery at St. Joseph Health Care London’s Parkwood Institute, has worked tirelessly to advance research that has resulted in improved hospital discharge models, harm reduction strategies and support for those living without housing, among other concerns. Most recently she has hosted forums across Canada in an effort to better understand homelessness and the number of people experiencing it.

“It’s an honour to be included among such a talented group and alongside my mental health colleague,” says Dr. Forchuk, who is also a Distinguished University Professor at Western University. “A lot of important work remains to be done to better support those living with mental health challenges.”

Dr. Lanius, Associate Scientist at Lawson and Psychiatrist at London Health Sciences Centre, is world-renowned for advancing the understanding and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through her research. She has been instrumental in defining different types of PTSD and combining imaging and psychiatry to develop new therapies that use neurofeedback or sensory processing to ‘train the brain.’

“Advancing knowledge is crucial to improving quality of life,” notes Dr. Lanius, who is also the Harris Woodman Chair in Mind-Body Medicine and a Professor at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. “I’m very excited to be recognized with such a distinguished group of contributors to research and academics.”

RSC fellows are elected by peers for their outstanding scholarly, scientific and artistic achievement. This year’s 101 new fellows will be inducted into the RSC on November 17.