The Research Chair in Cerebral Palsy at Laval University reflects the culmination of more than thirty years of efforts by J. Raymond Pepin and the Foundation that bears his name, as well as the Québec chapter of the Association de paralysie cérébrale du Québec Inc. (APCQ) (website available in French only).
On November 11, 1981, the Québec chapter of the Association de paralysie cérébrale signed a memorandum of understanding with Université Laval for research in cerebral palsy. In collaboration with the main donors, Université Laval set up a steering committee made up of representatives from Université Laval, members of the Quebec Chapter of the APCQ and Mr. J. Raymond Pepin, who became the first chair of the steering committee.
In January 1991, under the leadership of the Chairs at Université Laval, the Fonds de recherche en paralysie cérébrale became the Research Chair in Cerebral Palsy.
Subsequently, Carol L. Richards, PhD, became the holder of the Research Chair in Cerebral Palsy at Université Laval in 1996.
Since 2003, the Chair’s activities have been concentrated at the Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en réadaptation et intégration sociale (CIRRIS), located at the Institut de réadaptation en déficience physique de Québec.
Several researchers have joined the team over the years because of their interest in the problem of cerebral palsy. In 2018, Catherine Mercier, Ph D, erg. becomes the Research Chair.