North America is experiencing an unprecedented opioid overdose epidemic driven by the proliferation of fentanyl and fentanyl-adulterated drugs. Based at the BC Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU) and in collaboration with the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), I will undertake an ethno-epidemiological study to evaluate the implementation, uptake, and effectiveness of a novel low-barrier […]

The field of nuclear medicine relies on positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scanners to visualize molecular processes in normal and disease states in the living human. These imaging technologies have significant potential to enhance our ability to diagnose disease, develop appropriate disease-modifying treatments and for non-invasive monitoring of these […]

In rural regions of Canada, many patients live far from hospital emergency departments and specialty services. When urgent medical care is required due to a health crisis, access to pre-hospital care and the distance to an emergency department can have a major impact on morbidity and mortality. The primary objective of our study is to […]

The sport of short track speed skating is an extremely fast paced sport, in which multiple skaters, reaching speeds upwards of 50 km/h, jockey for position on a narrow track. Although skaters wear protective equipment and helmets, concussions continue to plague the health of athletes. Currently, there are no statistics on the ratesand prevalence of […]

Lipid-based nanoparticular drug formulations are a successful technique to enable targeted treatment. The Canadian company Precision Nanosystems Inc. (PNI) develops the innovative instrument family NanoAssemlr for lipid nanoparticle preparation based on microfluidics. These instruments are fast, easy-to-use and provide a high batch-to-batch reproducibility and quality. Recently, we developed a novel lipid nanoparticle formulation with the […]

Benefit payments totaled 2.5 billion dollars for Ontario workplaces in 2015. The most common injury resulting in a lost time claim was a strain or sprain – indicating despite massive efforts to reduce musculoskeletal injuries by ergonomists, these issues still have a significant financial burden on the economy. An easy-to-use, readily available, and automated physical […]

Many of those dealing with anxiety and/or depression are frequently in the care of a friend, partner, or family member known as an informal caregiver. This important role can be very taxing both physically and psychologically, yet few resources are available to specifically target individual caregivers’ needs. The proposed project will contribute to our understanding […]

Chronic neuropathic pain affects millions of Canadians for which the government spends ~$6 billion a year on treatment. It is therefore imperative to find new therapies with few side effects and high therapeutic efficacy. This study will examine the therapeutic properties of cannabidiol (CBD), which is a non-intoxicating component of cannabis. Studies have shown that […]

Unprecedented advances have been made in the treatment of cancer through the use of antibody against immune checkpoints, priming immune system instead of targeting cancer, with approval of several antibodies for multiple cancer types. However, so far we are merely seeing the tip of the iceberg because responses to this form of therapy are not […]

Greater physical activity and exercise is associated with better overall health and a reduced risk of many chronic conditions, but most of the Canadian population is insufficiently active. Physicians reach a large proportion of the population but experience barriers such as of time that prevent them from providing tailored exercise advice, as such they are […]

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating disease that primarily affects young individuals. Disease Modifying Therapies (DMT) developed in the past two decades have greatly improved the quality of life for people living with MS. Assessment of brain lesions using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has been a standard method to evaluate the efficacy of DMT in […]

The research supports the effective knowledge translation of evidence-based best practice information related to healthy lifestyle behaviours. Over a two-year period, the post-doctoral fellow will create a series of knowledge translation tools that can be used in the effective primary and secondary prevention of chronic disease through lifestyle behaviour modification. Our proposed initiative will capitalize […]