Paul R. FortinM.D., MPH, FRCPC

Dr. Paul R. Fortin, MD, MPH, FRCPC holds the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Systemic Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases, is Professor at Laval University, and Clinical Investigator at the CHU Research Center of Quebec – Laval University. He obtained his medical degree from Laval University and is a graduate of McGill University in rheumatology. He then obtained a Master’s in Public Health from Harvard University’s School of Public Health.

Dr. Fortin is working to better understand the bio-psycho-social impact of systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD), such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic sclerosis, inflammatory myositis, and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). He is particularly interested in the development of interventions for the treatment of SLE, RA, and APS.

His methodological interests are the development and validation of diagnostic and prognostic tests, new treatments, and new ways to measure the impact of these treatments on the health status of the patient, and on the levels of activity or harm of the disease within SARDs. His other methodological interests include developing healthy lifestyle habits for people with SARD, and measuring the impact of patient knowledge.

Since 2011, Dr. Fortin has been working on the creation and establishment of a new computerized database and biobank that enables the collection of informative biospecimens and clinical data relevant to the study of SARDs. This biobank and database now has more than 13,000 biospecimens, from over 250 people, and has already contributed to translational and clinical research projects, as well as two projects funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Dr. Fortin received the Canadian Rheumatology Association (CRA) Young Investigator Award in 1999, the Kirkland Scholar Award in 2008, and the prestigious Research Achievement Award from The Arthritis Society of Canada (2007- 2012). In 2010, he received the Lupus Ontario Hope Award for his outstanding leadership in improving the lives of people with lupus. In May 2015, he received the Jeffrey Shiroky Research Award for his clinical research achievements in rheumatology.