Miguel N. Burnier Jr MD, PhD, MSc, FRCSC

Dr. Miguel Burnier was the Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology, McGill University, from 1993 to 2008. He is a Full Professor of Ophthalmology, Pathology, Medicine, and Oncology at McGill and he was also the Thomas O. Hecht Family Chair in Ophthalmology (1996-2012). This is the first and the only endowment Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology. It was awarded to Dr. Burnier upon his arrival as Professor and Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology. Dr. Burnier is currently the General Director of Clinical Research & Training of the McGill University Health Centre Research Institute.

Dr. Burnier has won many awards including The University of Sao Paulo’s Gold Medal in Ophthalmology, The European Ophthalmology Award of Excellence, the American Academy of Ophthalmology Award of Excellence, and The Pan American Association of Ophthalmology Life Achievement Award. In research, Dr. Burnier received the WHO award for Melanoma research. In 2009, Dr. Burnier received the FARVO medal from the ARVO for his research contributions to the field of Ocular Pathology and Oncology. Recently, in 2012 Dr. Burnier received The Brazilian Academy of Science Award & Membership in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Dr. Burnier has received the 2006 Gradle Teaching Award given by the American Academy of Ophthalmology/Pan American Association of Ophthalmology. At McGill, Dr. Burnier was named to the Faculty Honour List for Educational Excellence in 2007. In Canada, Dr. Burnier received the Frederick Feldman Teaching Award from the University of Toronto. Dr. Burnier is the recipient of the Rio Branco Medal, which corresponds to the Order of Brazil. He is also Chair 45 of the “Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis.”