Swedish university honours Dr. Gregor Reid

Dr. Gregor Reid, Assistant Director of the Lawson Health Research Institute and Professor of Microbiology & Immunology and Surgery at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at The University of Western Ontario has been awarded an honorary doctorate degree in biology from Örebro University in Sweden. Dr. Reid is the first Canadian to receive this award and the only recipient this year in the field of science. The award recognizes Dr. Reid's international leadership in probiotic research, his contributions toward improved health in women and the application of his work in Africa.

Örebro University is one of the largest universities in Sweden with over 15,000 students and several campus locations. Research conducted at the University centers around five thematic areas, one of which aligns with Dr. Reid's research initiatives: to carry out research in which human value, social life, psychological, biological and existential conditions come to the fore as the basis for understanding how health and life quality can be preserved and reclaimed. Among Örebro's alumnae is the Swedish royal family. In 2006, the King and Queen of Sweden presented Dr. Reid's Ph.D. student, Peter Cadieux, with the Polanyi Prize.

"I dedicate my award to all the students who have had to work hard, often against the odds because their field of study is not main stream," says Dr. Reid. "The key is to believe in yourself, the work you are doing, and the fact that your contribution can make a difference."

Dr. Reid received a B.Sc. Honours from Glasgow University, Scotland in 1974, a Ph.D. from Massey University, New Zealand in 1982 and an MBA from Monash University, Australia in 1998. He is an academic microbiologist with the Canadian College of Microbiology and has received a number of awards, most recently, the 2007 IDF Elie Metchnikoff Prize for Nutrition and Health. Dr. Reid has an extensive resume with 28 patents, over 320 publications and he is currently the President of the International Scientific Association fro Probiotics and Prebiotics.