On International Women’s Day (March 8) each year, the WHRI uses this as an opportunity to showcase innovative research in women’s health, celebrate the achievements of women’s health leaders, and use the momentum of our annual symposium to call for better support of women’s health research. On March 8, we will celebrate the WHRI’s 8th annual symposium, and this time we are doing so in partnership with BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services Research Institute with the theme of women’s mental health research. We will have exciting talks at the cutting edge of women’s mental health research, engage in a thought-provoking panel discussion, and visit with students presenting their own research at the poster event. In line with the International Women’s Day theme this year of #EmbraceEquity, we have adopted a “gender additive” approach that encourages us to think broadly about all of the people who fall under the umbrella of women’s mental health research. Come join us on March 8 to imagine a world that is gender equal, free of bias and stereotypes, and celebrates women’s health research in all of its diversity.

There is still time to register if you are thinking of attending. Register here.

Lori Brotto, PhD, R Psych

Executive Director | Women's Health Research Institute
Professor | Department of OBGYN, UBC
Canada Research Chair | Women's Sexual Health

Call for Abstracts

The Women’s Health Research Institute (WHRI) is now accepting submissions for the poster session that will take place at the Eighth Annual Women’s Health Research Symposium.

Posters will be presented in-person at the event venue and poster topics must focus on current women’s or newborn health research. Posters can be ‘repurposed’ from previous conferences or presentations within the last several years. This call is open to researchers and trainees.

Submissions are today, Friday, March 3, 2023. Submissions can take the form of an abstract or an image of the poster (if previously presented). Please see our website for submission details.

Submissions can be sent to kdewar@cw.bc.ca.

Innovation Fund
Biomedical Discovery Grant

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As part of the National Women's Health Research Initiative, CIHR has released a pre-announcement for the first of two Innovation Fund opportunities. This first opportunity is for one-year Biomedical Discovery Grants to support basic science and/or other types of preclinical studies that have the potential to make significant advancements in women's health.

Some of the research priority areas identified are: diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis, early detection of ovarian cancer, early self-detection of breast cancer, treatment for gynecologic conditions (fibroids, PCOS, pelvic floor dysfunction), treatment for perimenopausal, monocausal and postmenopausal symptoms, development of non-hormonal female contraceptives, and gender-affirming hormone therapies.

Projected timelines are subject to change:
Funding Opportunity Launch: March 2023
Registration Deadline: June 2023
Application Deadline: July 2023
Funding Start Date: February 2024

If you are interested in applying to this opportunity, please reach out to Dawn McArthur team at the BCCHR Research Technology Development Office at dmcarthur@bcchr.ca.

Welcome, Sarah!

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We are delighted to welcome Sarah Osifo to the WHRI as the new Communications Coordinator. Sarah is a recent graduate from SFU with a Bachelor's in Health Sciences. She has a passion for women's health, infectious diseases, and health promotion. Sarah has worked in communications roles for non-profits, political organizations, and "dabbled" in health research. 

I enjoy engaging with people through diverse mediums. I am happy to be in a position that greatly complements my experiences with my skills. I love to cook, catch me on TikTok (@sarahosifo) and Instagram (@miss_osifo) posting west African cuisine recipes. I also enjoy working out, watching movies and interior decorating!

Connect with Sarah via whri.communications@cw.bc.ca.

Dr. Gina Ogilvie featured by the
BC Women's Health Foundation

In honour and celebration of Black History Month, the BC Women's Health Foundation (BCWHF) and WHRI released a joint statement with a commitment to working toward improving Black women's healthcare by encouraging, supporting and amplifying ethical, equitable, and ground-breaking research. To continue generating awareness of the efforts being done and additional work needing to be done, the BCWHF interviewed Dr. Gina Ogilvie about her work with the Hogan's Alley Society about vaccine intentions among the Black communities and discussed the importance of disaggregated data.

RE-IMAGYN BC - Youth Research Associate (YRA) Virtual Qualitative Research Training Manual

Training is an important part of co-creating research with community and patients, as it prepares all team members with the skills to engage in research meaningfully. This training manual is shared by the RE-IMAGYN BC (Relationship and gender EquIty Measurement Among Gender-inclusive Young women and Non-binary youth in British-Columbia) Study. The RE-IMAGYN BC study aims to better understand and measure relationship equity among youth in BC. This manual was created to train Youth Research Associates (YRAs) in qualitative research methods to meaningfully participate in research with the RE-IMAGYN study. The role of YRA is a type of “peer research associate”– a researcher who uses their expertise from their lived/living experience as part of the researched community to guide and contribute to research. Throughout this training manual, you will find details of the RE-IMAGYN BC YRA training (including agendas, slides, and pre-work) and reflections on the process and design of the training from the team. You are invited to use this training manual to inform and shape your own training. 

The WHRI is thrilled to house the manual on our patient-oriented research resources page.

Research DE-Colonized: Ethical, Indigenous-Led Health and Wellness Research in Canada

Join the British Columbia Network Environment for Indigenous Health Research and members of their Indigenous Health Research Facilitator team as they connect with inspiring Indigenous health and wellness scholars, healthcare professionals, and communities sharing their stories of how they’re decolonizing health and wellness research, changing healthcare and academe along the way. Topics of conversation will cover pathways into health and wellness research, techniques and research design, funding research, past and present health and wellness projects, and ethical research protocols when involving Indigenous communities, collectives and organizations.

@WomensResearch Wellness Exchange: Send to Your Community

The WHRI will be hosting our Wellness Exchange for the public on March 9th at 7:00 PM PST. 

This event will feature presentations on mental health, pain, and citizen science from an exciting lineup of researchers, including Dr. Lori Brotto, Dr. Nichole Fairbrother, Emily McKay, Allison Hoens, and Dr. Linda Li . Zoom details will be delivered to all registered guests so you can engage directly with our experts in a live Q&A. The event will also be streamed live via the WHRI's  Facebook page.

Please share this in your networks, especially your public audiences.

Did you register for our research symposium?

Wednesday, March 8 | 8:30 am – 12:30 pm | In-person (Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre) + Virtual

Theme of this year’s event is Advancing Women’s Mental Health through Research.

This year’s event is being co-hosted by the WHRI and the BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services Research Institute. Dr. Lori Brotto and Dr. Jehannine Austin (as Executive Directors of both Research Institutes) are co-leading the symposium planning committee.

BC Women's Research Rounds

Save-the-Date for our next BC Women's Research Rounds on Friday March 17th at 8:00 am. Dr. Suzanne Vercauteren and Ashton Ellis will be presenting, "Biobanking in the Prenatal and Neonatal Period". 

Learning Objectives:

1. What are the BCCH BioBank and BCWH Preemie Biobank?
2. Identifying how and when to approach pregnant patients for research.
3. How the BCCH BioBank and BCWH Preemie Biobanks can help your research.

Join via zoom: 

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

Meeting ID: 693 8412 1933
Password: 581699