Dr. Phillips is widely recognized as one of Canada's pre-eminent neuroscientists in the area of mental health and addictions research. A psychopharmacologist by training, Dr. Phillips holds an appointment in the Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. He is Chairman of the Board of the CIHR Institute of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Addictions. In addition to a lifelong interest in brain research, Dr. Phillips has had a longstanding association with the development of biotechnology in Canada. He was a Founder, Director and Secretary/Treasurer of QLT Inc. from 1982-92 and was the Founding Chairman of the Board of Stressgen Biotechnologies Corp. Presently he serves on the Board of the NeuroScience Canada Partnership and has been involved closely with the initiative to launch Neuro Discovery.

Dr. Phillips received his B.A. (Hons.) and Ph.D in psychopharmacology from the University of Western Ontario in 1969. After a Post-Doctoral position at the California Institute of Technology, he joined the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia in 1970, and served as Head from 1994-99. In 1999, he joined the Faculty of Medicine, as a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, and also holds an appointment as a Senior Scientist in the UBC/Vancouver Hospital Brain Research Centre.

Dr. Phillips' awards include: a Steacie Fellowship, Canada Council Killam Senior Fellowship, UBC Senior Killam Research Prize, the Hebb Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology as a Science, and the inaugural Prize for Innovation in Neuropsychopharmacology from the Canadian College of Neuropsychopharmacology. In 1986, he was elected a Fellow of Royal Society of Canada.