Research on biologically active compounds from plants used in traditional medicine have made significant contributions to the discovery of medicines to treat mental illness and nervous disorders. This award supports the development of a research team that will combine expertise in phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, neuropharmacology, neuroscience, pharmacognosy and bioinformatics to research potentially therapeutic natural health products. The research will involve fostering dialogue and building collaborative relationships with indigenous BC communities to investigate and build on their traditional plant knowledge.
Program: Research Units
PREDICT: Personalized Response Determinants in Cancer Therapy
This award supports the development of an interdisciplinary team that embeds research into front line cancer care. The goal is to develop a blood and DNA bank from consenting patients with newly diagnosed cancer, to serve as a resource for studying the causes of cancer as well as responses to, and outcome of, cancer therapies.
Oncology Nutrition
This award supports the creation of a team focused on advancing research in a new and emerging field: oncology nutrition. Through conferences, educational sessions and workshops, the team aims to achieve key goals that include: identifying research priorities and resources; identifying partners for individual and multi-centre projects; and gaining consensus on research design and methodology. Other goals include mentoring cancer care staff and developing a database within cancer treatment centres for future research.
BC Southern Interior Health Services Research Team (BCSIHSR)
The BCSIHSR plans to focus on research to improve the range and quality of services provided to the frail elderly in the Central Okanagan sub-region of Interior Health, where more than 20 per cent of the population is 65 or older. The Team’s research program includes evaluating the costs and quality of services currently provided within Interior Health; developing and implementing an evidence-based decision-making process to reallocate resources among program options; and evaluating outcomes, including quality of care measures. This award funds a program of four workshops to help BCSIHSR develop research capacity, identify research priorities, refine approaches and methods, and prepare funding applications.
The Operations Research Team in Cancer Care
This award supports the development of a multidisciplinary research team focused on applying operations research methods to improve access to cancer treatments. Initially the team will focus on access to radiation therapy, which is used by half of all cancer patients. The team’s objectives will be to develop operations research models that enhance access to radiation therapy and improve clinical outcomes; test and validate the models; and apply the research to improve access to cancer treatments in general.
Rehabilitation Aimed at Muscle Performance (RAMP)
This award supports the creation of a team to study how muscle in elderly people with chronic conditions responds to rehabilitative exercise protocols designed to optimize function and decrease disability. The RAMP team aims to develop an integrated research strategy that spans from cellular to clinical rehabilitation research. The strategy will include consideration of how co-existing conditions, such as chronic respiratory or heart disease, affect muscle response to exercise. The overall goal is to develop safe and effective exercise programs that elderly people will find appealing and be able to adhere to.
The Collaborative Research Group for Designing Safety Interventions for Individuals in Violent Relationships
This award funds the development of a team focused on enhancing safety of victims of relationship abuse. The team’s goal is to bring together researchers from social work, psychology, nursing, medicine and public health with front-line service providers to develop abuse interventions for individuals in violent relationships. Through a series of meetings and workshops, the team aims to develop safety-promoting strategies that can be tested with women and men in different socio-ethnic groups. The team will include participation by community agencies and health institutions, including the Vancouver General Hospital and St. Paul’s Hospital emergency rooms.
CORRECT Groups: Collaborative Resources for Research on Counselling and Therapy Groups
Group therapy has become a widely used form of non-pharmacological treatment of mental illness. Despite the widespread use of group therapy in BC and elsewhere, research on the complexities of efficient and effective application of group therapy has been limited and fragmentary. This award supports the establishment of a multidisciplinary team of researchers to focus on developing a better, more integrated understanding of group therapy as a mental health intervention. The team’s research could have a significant impact on patient management and help clarify how group therapy services should be supported.
Collaborative Research Team for the Study of Bipolar Disorder (CREST.BD)
This award funds the development of a multidisciplinary research team focused on examining and developing a knowledge base on the role of psychosocial factors in bipolar disorder. The goals include: identifying research priorities within the field of psychosocial issues in bipolar disorder; ensuring the team has the skills and expertise to address these priorities; identifying and establishing partnerships with existing organizations; developing research plans and a patient-centered research agenda; and identifying opportunities for sharing and leveraging resources.
Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy Innovation
Canada is facing one of the highest growth rates for drug costs among developed nations. As a result, cost is the primary factor leading public policy decisions for drug insurance programs. Researchers in this unit will conduct studies to systematically assess the effectiveness and safety of prescription drugs in tandem with cost-effectiveness. Their studies will help provide an evidence-based platform upon which policy-makers can make rational decisions about drug plan coverage.
Continue reading “Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy Innovation”