Dear WHRI Community,

I am pleased to be writing the July remarks to you, in Dr. Brotto’s absence. In my new role as WHRI Assistant Director, I am committed to enabling support for trainees in women’s health. Last month, the WHRI offered additional programming to support this, in the form of the WHRI Summer Scholar Series. This programming is aimed at directly supporting summer students affiliated with WHRI Members and offers monthly events showcasing topics specific to women’s health research. Please be sure to promote this eBlast and the event with your students.

A big thank you to Dr. Jerilynn Prior who was our first speaker and presented, “Menstrual Cycles-the OLD, the NEW, and the Astonishing.” We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Elizabeth Rideout on July 25th for a presentation on SGBA+.

Before closing, I do want to remind our community of the current WHRI Graduate + Fellowship Research Award in Women’s Health. This competition aims to support women’s health investigators in BC to undertake research that will ultimately better the health and health care solutions for women. There are three awards available through this funding opportunity — one for a master’s student, one for a doctoral student and one for a postdoctoral fellow — each valued at $21,000 in salary support. The deadline to apply is September 8th and you can see the full call here.

Sincerely,

Paul Yong, MD, PhD, FRSCS

Assistant Director | Women's Health Research Institute
Professor | Department of OBGYN, UBC
Research Director of BC Women's Centre for Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis

Announcing the 2023
Women’s Health Research Institute Catalyst Grant Competition

‌

The WHRI, in partnership with the BC Ministry of Health and the BC Women’s Health Foundation, is pleased to announce the 2023 Catalyst Grant competition for the advancement of knowledge in women’s and/or newborn’s health. A total of seven grants will be awarded at $25,000 each.

Eligible researchers include academic researchers, clinician scientists and research associates. Note that research associates are only eligible to apply as Principal Applicants if they have written approval from both the Department Head and the Dean where they work.

Important Dates:
Letter of Intent: September 6, 2023, 11PM PDT
Application deadline: October 10, 2023
Anticipated Notice of Decision: November 30, 2023

For full application instructions and eligibility criteria, please see the links below.

Patient-Oriented Research Podcast

‌

In Episode 25 of @WomensResearch podcast, we have the privilege of speaking with some incredible individuals from the Endometriosis Patient Research Advisory Board (PRAB).

Join us as we speak with Edurne Lopez de Arbina, Jessica Sutherland, and Heather Noga. They share their valuable insights and experiences in the world of patient-oriented research.

Indigenous History Month Bundle

‌

For Indigenous History Month in June, we released an awareness bundle to enable us to "Learn, Engage, and Reflect". While the events have passed there is still content we can engage in throughout the year. The bundle includes research being done, Indigenous films, foundational documents to support reconciliation and decolonization, as well as, social media accounts you can follow.

Oghogho Rosalie Ijomone
TMIST Research Assistant

‌

"I am thrilled to introduce myself to this dynamic team. I am most excited to embark on this journey with you and be part of the ongoing work at WHRI. With a deep passion for advancing healthcare, I have worked in the research field as a pharmacist data analyst. I aim to continue contributing to improving patient outcomes and driving innovations in the healthcare sector. I firmly believe in the power of collaborative efforts, and I am eager to work alongside everyone to achieve our common goals.

In addition, I believe in inclusivity and diversity. My pronouns are She/Her.

I look forward to getting to know you and working together to impact clinical research positively."

Connect with Oghogho via email: Oghogho.ijomone@cw.bc.ca

Stella-Luna Ha
Communications Assistant
WHRI + PWHR

‌

“I have always been fascinated with new technologies, with a particular focus on social media and media literacy. It’s been a great self-discovery process where I found a deep passion for exploring the intersection of social media and its impact on the healthcare system. In my previous positions, I have had the privilege to work on provincial and national projects surrounding COVID-19 pandemic misinformation, journalists’ mental health and data modelling. Through my work and research, I strive to bridge the gap between technology, communication and public health, raise awareness and advocate for media literacy as a crucial tool in navigating the digital landscape.

Fun Fact! Stella is a supertaster, or as her friends refer to her as the, ‘picky eater’. As a result, she doesn’t find chocolate appealing. Stella can also impress you with her ambidexterity where she can hold and use chopsticks with both hands.

Connect with Stella via email: stellaluna.ha@cw.bc.ca

Cynthia Lin Hsieh
Research Coordinator
Midlife Women’s Health Survey

‌

Farewell, Jocelle!

‌

WHRI Lunch & Learn

BC Women's Research Rounds

‌

Save-the-Date for our next BC Women's Research Rounds on Friday July 21st at 8:00 am

Presenter: Dr. Hamideh Bayrampour, Associate Professor in the Midwifery Program in Department of Family Practice at UBC

Topic: Feasibility and acceptability of collecting umbilical cord tissue for prenatal cannabis research

Learning Objectives:
1. To become familiar with the feasibility of collecting umbilical cord tissue in a tertiary hospital.
2. To understand the acceptability of collecting cord tissue among a community sample of pregnant persons in BC.
3. To become familiar with the implications of this research.

Zoom details below or select the "add to calendar" button to save these into your calendar.

https://phsa.zoom.us/j/69384121933?pwd=eERJK1FrdTJYbEx1NzFrQStHbCt2UT09          

Meeting ID: 693 8412 1933
Password: 581699

Summer Scholar Series

‌

Calling all Summer Students! Our next session is taking place Tues July 25th, 12pm - 1pm

Presenter: Dr. Elizabeth Rideout
Where: Virtually and in-person in the Shaughnessy Building Room D308
Topic: Sex and Gender Based Analysis

Bookmark this page for more Summer Scholar Series details and register below!

If you are WHRI member supervising summer students, we encourage you to share this event with them!

Tips on Database Design 

‌

1. Key steps for Database Design
2. Sequential Group Allocation and Data Collection for Comparative Projects
3. Preparing Your Database Requirements Document
4. Testing your Database