Dean Paul O’Byrne appointed to Order of Canada

Paul O’Byrne, dean and vice-president of McMaster University’s Faculty of Health Sciences, has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada for his global impact on the concept and treatment of asthma. The prestigious appointment was announced Dec. 28 by the Office of the Governor General of Canada.

The Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest civilian honours, recognizes individuals who have made extraordinary achievements and demonstrated outstanding dedication to their respective fields. Officer appointments recognize achievement and merit of a high degree, especially service to Canada or to humanity at large.

“I am deeply honoured and humbled to be appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada,” said O’Byrne, who is dean of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine. “I am grateful to my family, colleagues, mentors, students and patients for their support, and to the Canadian and global scientific community – it is a privilege to do work that impacts people’s lives in a meaningful way.”

O’Byrne, a practicing respirologist, is widely recognized as one of the top asthma clinician-scientists worldwide. His research focus is the mechanisms and treatment of asthma, particularly the role of environmental allergens. He has authored more than 550 peer-reviewed articles, including in the New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, and Nature Medicine, and has authored 100 book chapters and edited 12 books. O’Byrne is an important ambassador for Canadian clinical science at international meetings, where he is frequently invited to lecture on what is known about the pathogenesis of asthma and how research findings impact patient care.

Before his appointment as dean in 2016, O’Byrne served as chair of the Department of Medicine at McMaster University for 14 years. During his tenure, the Department of Medicine doubled in size to more than 300 faculty members and became the dominant department for research, education and care within the entire faculty. He is a named fellow at several international Colleges of Physicians, was selected to the Royal Society of Canada in 2010 and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences in 2015. He also received McMaster’s top academic award, being named a Distinguished University Professor.

“Dr. Paul O’Byrne sits at the top of all asthma researchers on a global scale. His studies have influenced the way asthma is treated and, perhaps more importantly, conceived. These publications have not just changed opinion, but they have formed the foundation for asthma treatment guidelines, which are now being implemented around the world. He is indeed exceedingly deserving of this important national recognition,” said John Kelton, emeritus dean and vice-president, Michael G. DeGroote Medical School, Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster.