2019 Scholar and Research Trainees: MSFHR funds 55 outstanding health researchers

17 July 2019

MSFHR announced 55 outstanding BC researchers as the recipients of this year’s Scholar and Research Trainee awards (20 Scholars and 35 Research Trainees). Recipients are located across BC, including in Prince George, Kelowna and Victoria. Selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants, the recipients represent a bright future for health research in British Columbia.

“Our focus at MSFHR is talent development – supporting the recruitment, retention, and development of the research talent BC needs to support the health of British Columbians, an effective health system, and the province’s knowledge economy,” says Dr. Bev Holmes, MSFHR president and CEO. “Through these awards, we are providing the resources early career researchers need to establish themselves and begin the work that will improve BC health care for decades to come.”

The awards span a wide range of disciplines and specialties. Areas of study include: support and treatment for people with mental health challenges, with focuses on youth and pregnant women; rehabilitation to improve walking balance after a stroke; investigating the impact of cannabis use as a substitute for high-risk drug use behaviors; and improving sepsis outcomes with antibody therapy.

The MSFHR Scholar and Research Trainee Programs work in tandem to support the long-term success of the BC health research landscape. The Research Trainee Program provides salary support for health researchers in the training phase of their research career, while the Scholar Program focuses on researchers who are building cutting-edge health research programs, training junior scientists and expanding their potential to make significant contributions to their field. Together, these awards support the development and retention of BC’s research talent.

This year, seven of the awards were funded in partnership with other organizations. This enabled MSFHR to increase the number of awards we were able to fund and helped our partnering organizations increase their research capacity in areas of interest of them. Our 2019 Scholar and Research Trainee award partners are:

CHÉOS – Providence Health Care Research Institute, 3 Scholars, 1 Research Trainee
Centre for Gender & Sexual Health Equity and the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), 1 Scholar
St. Paul’s Foundation and Providence Health Care Research Institute – Centre for Heart and Lung, 1 Research Trainee
Lotte And John Hecht Memorial Foundation, 1 Research Trainee

“We appreciate the research and health organizations who are partner with us,” says Holmes. “Through their support, we can develop greater capacity in key areas and fund more researchers overall.”