COVID-19 Research Response Fund
The COVID-19 Research Response funding call was developed in the context of a large number of rapidly deployed, global and national research funds covering the full array of pandemic research. It focused on high-quality research to evaluate BCâs response to the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and inform ongoing response, especially strategies for avoiding or mitigating subsequent waves of transmission.
Each successful project addresses one or more of the following research focus areas:
- Rapid evaluation and/or modelling of public health countermeasures to support the timing of levels of their withdrawn and potential future redeployments in BC.
- BC population-specific epidemiologic support for decision-makers, including the identification of strategies to prevent high burdens of illness among key/vulnerable groups (e.g. residents of long-term care facilities, inner city populations, Indigenous people, health-care workers, etc).
- Human geographic considerations in BC, including rurality, community, culture and population movement, with a view to prevent transmission and mitigating effects.
- The identification and mitigation of the impacts of the pandemic and pandemic response, including the secondary effects on the health of the population of BC.
- The impacts of rapid health service redesign and redeployment on health outcomes in BC.
Recipients
Host Institution
University of British Columbia
Project title
Measuring the Impact of Physical Distancing Measures and Creating Paths for Monitoring during the Relaxation Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Read moreHost Institution
University of British Columbia
Project title
Evaluation of rapid redesign and resource deployment in Long-Term Care during COVID-19
Read moreHost Institution
University of British Columbia
Project title
Study of early Health Outcomes in Neonates Exposed to COVID-19 in British Columbia (SHiNE-BC)
Read moreHost Institution
University of British Columbia
Project title
Risk and outcomes of COVID-19 patients exposed to immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory agents in British Columbia. A population-based study.
Read moreHost Institution
University of British Columbia
Project title
Respiratory outcomes following COVID-19 infection in British Columbia: A prospective patient registry
Read moreHost Institution
BC Cancer
Project title
The Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer Diagnosis and Outcomes in British Columbia (BC)
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University of British Columbia
Project title
COVID-19 in children and young adults in BC â evaluation of public health measures and epidemiologic support for decision-makers
Read moreHost Institution
University of British Columbia
Project title
All-cause and cause-specific mortality and acute morbidity attributable to COVID-19 and medical history associated with severe COVID-19 infection in BC.
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Simon Fraser University
Project title
A Spatial Approach to Exploring Vulnerability in the Context of COVID-19 in British Columbia
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University of British Columbia
Host Institution
University of British Columbia
Project title
Quantitative Isotype Profiling And Dynamics Of SARS-CoV-2 Infections: Next-Generation Serology
Read moreHost Institution
Simon Fraser University
Project title
Real-time Combined Genomic and Epidemiological Monitoring of COVID-19 in British Columbia
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Thompson Rivers University
Project title
Mapping Social Epidemiology of British Columbia: COVID19 Pandemic and Psycho Social and Occupational Well-being of Frontline Health-care Workers in BC
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Simon Fraser University
Project title
Preventing and Mitigating the Impacts of COVID-19 Among Im/migrants in British Columbia: Rapid Mixed-Methods Data to Inform Policy and Programmes.
Read moreHost Institution
University of Victoria
Project title
Managing the risks of future BC COVID-19 outbreaks using mathematical and statistical modelling
Read moreHost Institution
University of British Columbia
Project title
The Cedar Project: Preparing for Culturally-Safe, Trauma Informed COVID-19 Response Among Urban Indigenous People Who Use Drugs in BC
Read moreHost Institution
University of British Columbia
Project title
Population-based Study of Coronavirus Antibody Cross-Reactivity to Inform SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence Surveys, Severity Profiles, and Vaccine Strategies
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Simon Fraser University
Host Institution
Vancouver Coastal Health
Project title
Informing the COVID-19 Response for Vancouverâs Urban Indigenous Population Using Community-driven Methods and Big Data Analytics
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University of British Columbia
Project title
Accelerating SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence Surveys through Dried Blood Spots (ASSESS-DBS)
Read moreRead more about the work of our COVID-19 Research Response Fund award recipients:
awardee
Making a real difference: People who are incarcerated help peers get immunized for COVID-19
November 10, 2022
During the pandemic, only 60 percent of people in custody wanted to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Researchers Sofia Bartlett and Pam Young worked with people who are incarcerated to change that.
awardee
COVID-19 research journeys: Outcomes and impacts one year later
June 15, 2021
We caught up with five of the COVID-19 Research Response Fund award recipients to gain insight on where their research programs are at, one year later.
awardee
A 20-year journey of health research in BC: Tackling emerging disease threats through rapid response research
June 9, 2021
Dr. Danuta Skowronski’s research, funded by MSFHR, directly informed the COVID-19 vaccine dosage recommendation that likely prevented thousands of hospitalizations across Canada during the third wave.
awardee
Precarious housing, prisons, and our COVID-19 vulnerabilities
January 27, 2021
With an MSFHR COVID-19 Research Response Fund award, Dr. Julian Somers is investigating practices to support some of BC’s most vulnerable citizens during the pandemic.
awardee
Mapping the Social Epidemiology of front-line health-care workers
January 7, 2021
With MSFHR funding, Dr. Bala Nikku and his team are mapping the experiences of health-care workers in home-care and long-term care facilities across British Columbia during the pandemic.
awardee
Partnering with COVID-19 patients to track future health
December 1, 2020
Launched by Dr. Chris Carlsten, a new patient registry will track the health of people who recovered from COVID-19.
awardee
Charting the COVID-19 experience for young people who use drugs
November 12, 2020
Led by Dr. Patricia Spittal, her team of Indigenous and allied researchers focus on how Indigenous people have been impacted by the pandemic.
awardee
Searching for COVID-19 antibodies in children
October 13, 2020
British Columbian researcher Dr. Manish Sadarangani hopes to provide further clues with funding from the MSFHR COVID-19 Research Response Fund.
awardee
MSFHR and Victoria Hospitals Foundation partner on funding research to detect future COVID-19 outbreaks on Vancouver Island
August 13, 2020
Dr. Laura Cowen at the University of Victoria, is leading a team in developing a model that estimates rates of unreported COVID-19 cases.
awardee
MSFHR funds COVID-19 research to mitigate effects on BCâs vulnerable populations
June 29, 2020
Mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on newcomers to BC, urban Indigenous people, frontline health-care workers, and those in prisons or precarious housing is the focus of many of the funded researchers from the COVID-19 Research Response Fund.
awardee
BCâs COVID-19 âinfodemicâ tackled by MSFHR-funded research project
May 28, 2020
Stress levels, youth mental health and stigma toward racialized British Columbians are just some of the topics covered by a COVID-19 rapid response research project funded by MSFHR.
awardee
MSFHR launches COVID-19 research response fund & first call for proposals
April 6, 2020
The $2 million MSFHR COVID-19 Research Response Fund will focus on high-quality research that evaluates BCâs response to the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Find out more about MSFHRâs COVID-19 Research Response Funding Call