Great Concordian: Lady Mireille Gillings, biotech trailblazer and global health philanthropist

Lady Mireille Gillings, DSc 22, is a visionary leader in biotechnology and global health philanthropy, renowned for her trailblazing efforts to bridge scientific discovery with business leadership. 

As founder of HUYA Bioscience International, Lady Mireille built a pioneering model to accelerate the global development of novel biopharmaceutical therapies originating in China. Under her leadership, HUYABIO became a leading force in cross-border drug development, enabling faster, more cost-effective and lower-risk pathways to market. This approach led to the successful commercialization of HIYASTA, a lymphoma treatment launched in Japan in under six years.

A strong advocate for international collaboration, she also co-founded GHO Capital, a European private equity fund focused on global health investments. As vice-chair, she champions innovative solutions to public health challenges by supporting companies with the potential for widespread impact.

Lady Mireille is equally committed to cultivating the next generation of global health leaders. She established the Lady Mireille and Sir Dennis Gillings Global Public Health Fellowships, an international collaboration between Concordia University, the University of Cambridge, the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and Institut Pasteur in Paris. These two-year post-doctoral fellowships equip scientists with both scientific expertise and business acumen.

“Future leaders in public health must have skills across what I call the 3Ms: Money, Management and Medicine,” she explained. “The fellowships are designed to build business skills on top of scientific training, which is critical for the next generation of global scientists.” 

This philosophy reflects her broader mission to connect innovation with leadership in order to create lasting societal impact. Speaking to Concordia graduates upon receiving her honorary doctorate, she said, “Success beckons for those of you who work hard and persevere. You have the opportunity not only to become a person of success, but a person of value — someone who delivers back to society.”

This vision is realized through the fellowship program, which selects top candidates from the partner universities, offering them hands-on research experience at Institut Pasteur as well as intensive training in finance and management.

Another significant contribution is her partnership with the University of Exeter Medical School to establish the Mireille Gillings Neuroimaging Centre. This state-of-the-art facility supports innovative brain research and is recognized as a European leader in clinical trials focused on Parkinson’s disease, dementia and brain health.

Lady Mireille’s achievements in both science and philanthropy have earned her widespread recognition. She has been awarded the Knight of the Legion of Honor by the French government and received honorary degrees from both the University of Exeter and Concordia University. She has also been named one of the top ten women entrepreneurs twice by The Sunday Times (UK). Educated in Canada, the Netherlands, France and the United States, Lady Mireille holds a PhD from Radboud University Nijmegen and postdoctoral fellowships at Bordeaux University and the Scripps Research Institute.

“The next generation of public health leaders will need skills across the 3Ms as they build dynamic collaborations spanning continents and cultures,” she said. “It is a privilege to play my part in accelerating progress in global public health.”

When you reflect on your time as a Concordia student, what experiences come to mind?

Lady Mireille Gillings: My time at Concordia gave me the opportunity to work with Professor Roy Wise and Professor Zalman Amit, founders of the Center for Studies in Behavioral and Neural Psychology. This experience provided options to pursue my studies in a way that no other university could match. I was able to attend international conferences and present abstract posters that put me at the very center of my profession. These experiences gave me confidence to pursue my passion.

What are some key factors that have contributed to your success?

Lady M: I credit much of my success to a strong foundation, both personally and academically. Growing up in Montreal, I was fortunate to receive an education that blended science and business, which helped shape my interdisciplinary approach early on. That, combined with a deep entrepreneurial drive, became the cornerstone of my career.

One of the defining moments came when I recognized China’s untapped potential in drug discovery, long before it was widely acknowledged by the global industry. While I had no background in China at the time, I committed to learning everything I could and spent years building trust and relationships with leading research institutes and universities. The idea was to create research alliances that would allow us to bring innovative Chinese science to patients in Europe, the Americas and Asia. It wasn’t easy, but perseverance made the difference.

Over time, we built a strong pipeline of therapies, including HIYASTA, an epigenetic immunomodulator developed and commercialized in Japan in under six years. It became the first small molecule discovered in China and then licensed for development in the rest of the world. Today, it is used to treat two aggressive blood cancers, adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma and peripheral T-cell lymphoma.

Knowing that it is saving lives and helping change how the world views innovation from China is one of the things I’m most proud of. We are now advancing a promising cardiovascular therapy aimed at improving outcomes for patients with atrial fibrillation, a fast-growing and difficult-to-manage condition. It’s an exciting next chapter that continues to reflect our belief in the power of global collaboration to accelerate access to life-changing treatments.

Why has it been important for you to generously support public health initiatives and fellowships?

Lady M: Building a successful business has given me the ability to support causes I care deeply about, especially those that empower others to reach their full potential.

One of the most meaningful ways I can give back is by helping to equip future public health leaders with the tools they need to create lasting impact. My approach is grounded in what I call the 3Ms: Money, which is about understanding how to fund and scale innovation; Management, which reflects the ability to lead and integrate the many moving parts of an evolving industry; and Medicine, the core driver of discovery and patient impact.

I believe these three pillars are essential to building strong, future-ready leadership in public health. The fellowships I support are designed around these principles. They help rising scientists and professionals navigate the increasingly complex global health landscape with both scientific expertise and strategic insight. This mission is deeply personal to me. If we want to change the future of health for the better, we must invest in the next generation of talent.

What advice do you have for current students and recent graduates who may want to follow in your footsteps?

Lady M: Don’t be afraid to take risks, and never give up. You’ll never win if you never begin. Et ça, je le dis du fond du cœur. No matter what field you pursue or what goals you set, stay committed.

There will be challenges, moments of doubt and times when the path forward feels uncertain. But perseverance, passion and the courage to start are what carry you through. Push yourself, stay inspired and lift up the people around you. And above all, recognize what a privilege it is to pursue your potential. That sense of purpose and gratitude can take you further than you ever imagined.

How does it feel to have earned this distinction from your alma mater?

Lady M: It’s a deeply meaningful honour. Being named a Great Concordian brings me full circle to the place where so many of my ideas and ambitions first began to take shape. Concordia gave me a foundation that has supported every step of my journey, and I’m proud to be recognized by the community that helped set it in motion. It’s a wonderful reminder of where I started and how far we can all go with the right support and inspiration.