On November 24, University of Montpellier I in France awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa to Judes Poirier, PhD, C.Q., professor and researcher in molecular neurobiology. This honorary title was conferred by the oldest faculty of medicine in the world.

The title of Honoris Causa (meaning "for the sake of honour" in Latin) is one of the most prestigious awards bestowed by institutions of higher education to foreign eminent figures in the letters, arts and sciences.

Director of the Molecular Neurobiology Unit at the Douglas Institute and researcher at the McGill Centre for Studies in Aging, Judes Poirier enjoys an international reputation for his work on Alzheimer Disease. He has helped advance research on the most important genetic risk factor associated with this disease and has been a pioneer in establishing the foundations of pharmacogenomics in the treatment of brain diseases.