Dr. Daniel Bichet is the Director of the Clinical Research Unit at l'Hôpital Sacré-Coeur in Montreal. He is also a Professor of Medicine at l'Université de Montréal.

Since 1987 Dr. Bichet, (pictured with research assistant Nicole Ruel), has been studying nephrogenic diabetes insipidus at l'Hôpital du Sacré Coeur in Montreal. This hereditary kidney disorder appears at birth and causes episodes of severe dehydration in newborns. Late diagnosis or lack of treatment can result in kidney failure.
Through research funded by The Kidney Foundation, Dr. Bichet and his research team have identified the gene that causes this type of diabetes and have developed a blood test to detect it.

More recently, he has applied some of the knowledge gained in the study of nephrogenic diabetes insipidus to a new study on polycystic kidney disease, a more common hereditary condition. For his work, Dr. Bichet recently was awarded The Kidney Foundation's Medal for Research Excellence, which is presented annually to a Canadian resident who is recognized nationally and internationally for excellence in kidney-related research.