TORONTO, June 27, 2018. Australian chiropractor, Professor Simon French, has been named as the newest member of the World Federation of Chiropractic’s Research Committee.

Dr French’s appointment follows a global search that attracted high quality candidates from around the world.

A 1993 graduate of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Dr French practised as a chiropractor for ten years, gaining a Masters in Public Health along the way, before pursuing a PhD at the School of Public Health and Preventative Medicine at Monash University, Victoria. His work involved developing and testing complex interventions for improving the use of evidence in clinical practice, specifically as it related to low back pain in general practice.

Dr French worked as a Senior Research Fellow with the prestigious Australasian Cochrane Centre as well as at the Primary Care Research Unit at the University of Melbourne.

In 2013, Dr French was named as the recipient of the Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation Professorship in Rehabilitation Therapy at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada. During his time in Canada, Dr French was also named as a member of the Low Back Pain Quality Standard Advisory Committee for Health Quality Canada.

Dr French returned to Australia in 2018 to commence a position at Macquarie University’s Department of Chiropractic. His appointment at Macquarie represents a very significant step forward for chiropractic in Australia and further develops the university's strong commitment to research and innovation.

As the Research Council’s newest member, Dr French brings an impressive track record of high value research grants, committee representation, and collaborations with world-renowned musculoskeletal researchers.

Speaking after his appointment, Dr French said, “I am grateful for the opportunity to work with the Research Committee and the confidence that the WFC has placed in me. I’m looking forward to getting down to work with this world-class group of research colleagues.”

Chair of the Research Committee, Professor Greg Kawchuk, commented: “"All of us on the Research Committee are excited to welcome Dr French to the team. Simon's experience as a scientist, journal editor and most recently, head of research of the Department of Chiropractic at Macquarie University, expands the breadth of our committee and allows us to advocate for the profession in exciting new ways."

The WFC Research Committee comprises researchers from many of its world regions. They work in a range of settings, including biomechanics, musculoskeletal pain, knowledge translation, quality, and basic science. Its Chair is Dr Greg Kawchuk, Professor of Rehabilitation at the University of Alberta, Canada.