Dr. Christopher McMaster, PhD, FCAHS, is the Scientific Director of the Institute of Genetics for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Professor of Pharmacology in the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada. Previously, he was the Carnegie and Rockefeller Professor and Head of Pharmacology at Dalhousie University, and was the Assistant Dean for Graduate and Post-doctoral Studies in the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University.

His research is broad in interest ranging from basic biochemistry and cell biology, to genomics to determine causal genes for human genetic diseases and their amelioration, to ethical and policy considerations as human genomics is being transitioned toward clinical diagnosis and care. Dr. McMaster has identified several human genes and their functions, including many associated with inherited human disease. His work on therapeutics has resulted in a potential therapy for congenital sideroblastic anemia, and has lead compounds undergoing development for the treatment of the inherited blinding disorder familial exudative vitreoretinopathy and a form of muscular dystrophy.