Happy New Year! 

I am pleased to kick off our first eBlast of 2022 with the results of our 2021 Women’s Health Research Institute Catalyst Grant competition. This year we were able to fund seven projects: six funded with the dedicated support of BC Women’s Health Foundation with the seventh funded by CIHR’s Sex and Gender Chair Program to support a project involving investigations in female animals. I encourage you to learn more about this year’s projects below and join me in congratulating the successful teams. 

I would also like to take this opportunity to share that Dr. Lori Brotto, WHRI Executive Director, has now begun her six month sabbatical and will return to the WHRI this July. Both myself and Kathryn Dewar (Senior Research Manager, WHRI) will take on interim leadership of the WHRI in Lori’s absence.

Announcing the 2021 Women's Health Research Institute Catalyst Grant Recipients

We are very pleased to congratulate the recipients of the 2021 Women’s Health Research Institute Catalyst Grants. This competition was funded thanks to the dedicated support of the BC Women’s Health Foundation. One of seven awards for this year’s competition was funded by CIHR’s Sex and Gender Chair Program to support a biomedical health research project involving investigations in female animals.

This grant competition provides support for pilot studies in women’s and newborn’s health, which aim to generate preliminary data; test new approaches, methodologies or tools; bring new teams together; and/or support new research in women’s and newborn’s health from established researchers.

This competition has two applicant streams which are evaluated separately from one another: the Academic Researcher stream and the Clinician-Investigator stream.

CST Research Corner

Do you have questions about how the Clinical & Systems Transformation (CST) project will impact research on the C&W campus? 

BCCHR has launched a new page all about the upcoming changes, including the October 6 Town Hall recording, further FAQs including the CST research roles, and a link to the form where non-PHSA employees can now request access. 

If you have a resource or information you would like to share with your peers, please email comm@bcchr.ca.

Temporary reduction in research services in the BC Children’s Hospital Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine

The C&W senior executive has identified the Clinical & Systems Transformation (CST) implementation as the major strategic priority for the institution this year and has mandated the redeployment of resources where possible to ensure the success of this important project. All clinical programs, including the Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, are required to implement service reduction strategies for C&W CST implementation preparation from mid-December to six weeks after the go-live date of February 26, 2022.

Given the critical role that the C&W laboratory plays in the CST project, and continued personnel pressure throughout the system, the Department is redeploying staff to ensure continued clinical service provision while supporting the CST project activities.

Unfortunately, this will require the curtailment of some non-clinical activities, including a scaling back of the provision of laboratory services for research projects until the completion of the CST implementation. 

• Projects already approved and underway will continue to be supported.
• Initiation of new research projects will be delayed until after CST implementation, unless there is a critical patient care component to the research that requires C&W laboratory services. 

• There will be anticipated delays in reviewing new submissions.
• Please consider alternative services available, wherever possible, through the BC Children's Hospital BioBank, BCCHR Clinical Research Development Laboratory or BC Women’s Hospital Research Laboratory.
• Please contact Labresearch@cw.bc.ca if your research study requires clinical laboratory services that are critical for patient care and safety, or to discuss access to the alternative providers noted above.

We anticipate a return to regular service provision six weeks after the completion of the CST go-live.

Are you recruiting at BC Women's?

We're rolling out a series of changes to the BC Women's Hospital + Health Centre research pages to make it easier for prospective research participants to connect with active studies. 

If you are recruiting out of BC Women's and would like your study listed on the website, please reach out to whri.communications@cw.bc.ca for more information. 

List your research program at WHRI.org

Do you lead a program of research? We'd love to profile your work on our website! 

Please email a brief overview of the program and a link to the program's website to whri.communications@cw.bc.ca.

Our Spotify Wrapped

We are excited to share our 2021 Spotify Wrapped, a snapshot of the performance of the @WomensResearch podcast!

We encourage you to check out our previous podcast episodes, which feature some of the latest evidence in women’s health from researchers throughout British Columbia.

Stay tuned for season 3, launching next month!

Research from the Contraception and Abortion Research Team featured in the media

Last month Drs. Laura Schummers and Wendy Norman were featured by several news outlets including Buzzfeed and CTV for their work on a recent study which found that abortion remained safe after Canada removed restrictions on the medical abortion pill mifepristone in November 2017.

Michael Smith Health Research BC announces recipients of Health Professional-Investigator Awards

Congratulations to WHRI members Dr. Nichole Fairbrother and Dr. Jessica Liauw, recipients of the 2021 Health Professional-Investigator awards! 

WHRI members discuss the COVID-19 pandemic

Last month, the Djavad Mowafghian Centre for Brain Health shared three expert takeaways of the COVID-19 pandemic from WHRI members Drs. Teresa Liu Ambrose, Liisa Galea, and Judy Illes. 

Their takeaways cover the pandemic's impact on our brains, the importance of studying sex and gender, and the ethics of vaccine certifications.

Dr. Lori Brotto, in her words

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Dr. Lori Brotto was featured by BC Children's Hospital Research Institute! The profile discusses her career, journey in academia, and her advice for young women in STEM.

Women's health research funding update

WOMEN’S HEALTH RESEARCH FUNDING NEWS

• Register for CIHR Project Grant Workshop and Panel Q&A Spring 2022, January 13th, 7:30AM-9:00AM
• CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis offers Intensive Grant Writing Masterclass 2022 (research must be broadly relevant to the CIHR IMHA mandate) Register by January 14th

Need Assistance with Grant writing or Looking for Upcoming Funding Opportunities?

Check out the WHRI Research Funding Hub , Upcoming Funding Opportunities, and #WHRIfunding Twitter Feed. Email Eric Lussier for assistance with developing a research idea, finding funding, grants applications or grants revisions. I am available every Tuesday from 8am-4pm for virtual office hour meetings with WHRI researchers, or at other times by appointment.

Women in Science

Join virtually as we celebrate International Day of Women and Girls in Science with BC Children's Hospital Research Institute and BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services Research!

Women in Science will be held on the evening of Thursday, February 10 (7:00 - 9:00 pm) and will feature a panel of six inspiring women who are making groundbreaking discoveries and innovations in research.

Registration is open to high school students, university students and members of the general public. The curriculum and discussion will be targeted for a grade 10–12 education level. 

Registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Space is limited to 200 participants.