Contraception Access Research Team
In addition to the various sexual and reproductive health research studies, there is also a large program of research dedicated led by Dr. Wendy Norman called the Contraception Access Research Team (CART). CART is a national, interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral collaboration performing research to support health services and policies to ensure equitable access to high-quality family planning knowledge, methods and services for women and families throughout Canada. This research program involves innovation end-users (health professionals, health system leaders, and an advisory board of citizens) in problem identification, prioritization, and research design leading to facilitated uptake of solutions. Evidence generated from the CART research has been used to increase the knowledge base for equitable quality of care, as well as to be translated into strategies and policies suitable for the needs and conditions of the end-users with the goal of reducing undesirable reproductive health outcomes experienced by vulnerable populations
Learn more about CART.
UBC Sexual Health Research (UBC SHR)
UBC Sexual Health Research (UBC SHR) focuses on clinical and behavioural research in women’s sexual health, including sexual difficulties, discrepancies, and distress. Their research aims to develop and test psychological interventions for the management of genital pain and low sexual desire causing significant personal distress. They also examine different aspects of sexual orientation, including asexuality. Dr. Lori Brotto and colleagues have published landmark studies differentiating asexuality from sexual dysfunction. This and their current line of research are aimed at exploring the neural and biological correlates of asexuality as a unique sexual orientation. Sexuality is an integral aspect of well-being and strongly influences relationship happiness. However, too often individual, relational, environmental, political, cultural, and medical factors get in the way of healthy sexuality. Their driving goal is to identify and mitigate these forces so as to cultivate each woman’s own human sexual potential.
Learn more about UBC SHR.
BC Women’s Complex Chronic Disease Program
The CCDP is a leader in providing inter-professional care to patients with complex and chronic diseases. Patients of the CCDP all have signs, symptoms or diagnosis of: patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and symptoms attributed to Chronic Lyme Disease. The CCDP is conducting research to: a) better characterize the population presenting for management of complex chronic disease and b) assess the effectiveness of the CCDP in improving patients’ outcomes over time.
Women’s Heart Health Clinic (WHCC)
The WHHC at BCW/VGH provides comprehensive care for women with heart disease, and those at risk of developing heart disease. The clinic is one of the only centers in Canada dedicated to prevention and treatment of heart disease in women. The clinic covers all aspects of heart health care including diagnostics, therapeutics, risk reduction and lifestyle coaching. The Women’s Heart Health Clinic is currently running a research study to investigate whether gender specific care has an impact on outcome for women with a range of different cardiac conditions.
Learn more about WHHC.
BC Women’s Centre for Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis
The Centre for Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis is actively involved in research through the UBC Endometriosis Pelvic Pain Laboratory to improve the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of chronic pelvic pain and endometriosis. Our portfolio includes the Endometriosis Pelvic Pain Interdisciplinary Cohort Data Registry to evaluate treatment options for reducing pelvic pain and improving quality of life. We also manage the Endometriosis and Oncogenesis Tissue Bank which focuses on gene sequencing in endometriosis, the understanding the role of nervous tissue in chronic pelvic pain and the associations between endometriosis and ovarian cancer. Lastly, we are committed to working directly with patients through the Endometriosis Patient Research Advisory Board and ensuring research knowledge is translated into a format that is meaningful for patients and care teams. Our current initiative, the Sex, Pain & Endometriosis website (https://endopain.endometriosis.org/) seeks to provide a safe space to learn about painful sex, find treatment options and resources.
Perinatal Research IMaging Evaluation (PRIME) Centre
PRIME is an imaging research facility dedicated to developing new technology and applications to benefit the health of mothers and babies. Pregnant women and newborns are two of the most vulnerable populations, and improving their health and saving their lives is a priority in Canada and world-wide. Ultrasound scans among other imaging modalities are an important, non-invasive tool used to find possible health problems before and after birth.
For more information on research in PRIME please visit us here.
Reproductive Infectious Diseases (RID) Program
The Reproductive Infectious Diseases (RID) Program is a multidisciplinary network of health professionals, researchers and knowledge users, led by Dr Deborah Money. Through local, national and global research collaborations, the team works to address emergent knowledge gaps and provide evidence-based guidance for the prevention, treatment, and care of reproductive infectious diseases. From team leads to trainees, we are committed to ethical, inclusive research and care. Our research areas of focus include: COVID-19 infection during pregnancy and the postpartum period, HIV, human papillomavirus, hepatitis, perinatal infections, the vaginal microbiome, and antimicrobial stewardship.
For more information on RID please visit us here.
OVCARE
OVCARE is British Columbia’s multi-institutional and multidisciplinary ovarian cancer research group. OVCARE was founded in 2000 and has grown from a small group of researchers and disconnected research projects to a coherent team that is recognized internationally as a leader in the study of ovarian cancer. In 2008, OVCARE researchers discovered that ovarian cancer is not a single disease but multiple, distinct disease types. This has fundamentally changed the way ovarian cancer research is being performed in BC, nationally and internationally.
Learn more about OVCARE.
Gynecologic Cancer Initiative (GCI)
The Gynecologic Cancer Initiative (GCI) is a provincial research network with the mission of accelerating transformative research on prevention, detection, treatment and survivorship of all gynecologic cancers. The GCI has built a framework to aggregate the exceptional talent and incredible assets in British Columbia in a shared provincial vision. Through synergistic partnering of research institutions, scientists, clinicians, and patients, the GCI’s vision is to reduce the incidence, death and suffering of gynecologic cancers by 50% in the next 15 years. The GCI builds on the longstanding history of excellence in gynecologic cancer research and care in the province by fostering new collaborations with scientists whose primary focus is outside of gynecologic cancer.
Learn more about the GCI.
Global Control of HPV
Bringing together research and policy for the global control of HPV related diseases and cancers. We are a diverse, global network of experts in a variety of population health disciplines who work in the prevention and control of HPV related diseases & cancer, as well as a broad range of sexual and reproductive health fields. As a team of researchers embedded within the public health system, our focus is primarily on implementation science, and health systems research. Our team has contributed substantially to policy and research in this field for decades. Based in Canada and internationally, our work is funded by various government and health research organizations.
Learn more about the Global Control of HPV.
TMIST
TMIST (Tomosynthesis Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial) is a research study that will help researchers learn about the best way to find breast cancer in women who have no symptoms. This is a randomized breast cancer screening study that compares two types of digital mammograms for their ability to reduce advanced breast cancer.
Learn more about TMIST