Award of Excellence

Dr. Leader earns the 2008 Award of Excellence from the University of Ottawa Faculty Of Medicine. This rare honor has been awarded to Dr. Leader for his leadership, contribution to research and teaching initiatives over the years.

Dr. Arthur Leader completed his undergraduate training at the University of Toronto, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Economics. He then earned his Doctor of Medicine degree in the first medical class at McMaster University. After his internship in internal medicine, he was appointed as a consultant in research management to the Expanded Program in Human Reproduction at the World Health Organization in Geneva. He then completed an MRC Fellowship in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Karolinska Institute (Stockholm) and his residency in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the London (UK) teaching hospitals. He returned to the Sahlgrenska Hospital (Gothenburg) for a combined research and clinical fellowship before returning to Canada to obtain his Canadian specialty certification in Obstetrics and Gynecology. After completing further fellowship training in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of Calgary, he co-founded the IVF program at the Foothills Hospital in 1983. He joined the University of Ottawa in 1986 and co-founded the IVF program at the Ottawa Hospital in 1988. He moved his practice to the Ottawa Fertility Centre in 2006.

Dr. Leader is currently a Full Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Medicine (Endocrinology) at the University of Ottawa, an attending physician at the Ottawa Hospital and a consultant and founding partner of the Ottawa Fertility Centre. He is certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. He has held many academic and administrative positions at the University of Ottawa including Division Head of Reproductive Medicine and Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is a past President of the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society and a recipient of its Award of Excellence in 2006. He has been listed in Canada's Who's Who since 1992.

Dr. Leader is the author of over 80 articles in refereed journals, several book chapters and review articles. He has spoken nationally and internationally on infertility. He is an advisor to provincial and federal governments on policy issues related to Assisted Human Reproduction. He has chaired expert working groups for Health Canada and currently chairs the CSA subcommittee on assisted human reproduction. He is a member and spokesperson for the Stem Cell Oversight Committee of CIHR. He is a peer assessor for the College of Physicians and Surgeon of Ontario. He holds or has held grants from the MRC (CIHR), Health Canada and the pharmaceutical industry. His research has focused on treatments to improve the outcomes of infertility therapy.

Dr. Leader's practice is limited reproductive care, with particular interests in assisted human reproduction, male infertility and reproductive endocrinology. Dr. Leader continues to be an advocate for those health policies that promote the quality and safety of and access to assisted human reproduction for infertile Canadians.

Office Extension 624

Selected publications

Weksberg R, Shuman C, Wilkins-Haug L, Mann M, Croughan M, Stewart D, Rakowsky C, Leader A, Hall J, Friedman JM, Simpson JL, Holmes L, Infante-Rivard C. Workshop report: evaluation of genetic and epigenetic risks associated with assisted reproductive technologies and infertility. Fertil Steril. 2007;88(1):27-31.

Yang Q, Wen SW, Leader A, Chen XK, Lipson J, Walker M. Paternal age and birth defects: how strong is the association? Hum Reprod. 2007;22(3):696-701 .

Leader A: Monofollicular Ovulation Induction Study Group. Improved monofollicular ovulation in anovulatory or oligo-ovulatory women after a low-dose step-up protocol with weekly increments of 25 international units of follicle-stimulating hormone. Fertil Steril. 2006;85(6):766-73.

Lambalk CB, Leader A, Olivennes F, Fluker MR, Andersen AN, Ingerslev J, Khalaf Y, Avril C, Belaisch-Allart J, Roulier R, Mannaerts B. Treatment with the GnRH antagonist ganirelix prevents premature LH rises and luteinization in stimulated intrauterine insemination: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial. Hum Reprod. 2006;21(3):632-9.