Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) is committed to fostering a culture of mentorship for the next cohort of health researchers with the VCHRI Summer Program Advancing Research Knowledge and Skills (SPARKS). This new program provides a unique opportunity for a select group of highly qualified undergraduate and medical students to explore their interest in health research and receive hands-on experience by undertaking a summer project with a VCHRI principal investigator.

Taking innovative research from concept to application is critical for improving health care systems and the health and well-being of patients. Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) is proud to support investigators and their groundbreaking health research with the Innovation and Translational Research Awards. This year’s recipients are putting new knowledge into practice, implementing research outcomes and turning discoveries into commercial opportunities.

The 2024 Innovation and Translational Research Award recipients are:

For this year’s Speech and Hearing Month in May, VCHRI researcher and speech-language pathologist Gillian O’Toole explains how communication disorders and hearing loss can impact quality of life for older adults. She also shares interventions to support caregivers, clinicians and loved ones in improving communication health.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a debilitating disease affecting 2.5 million older adults in Canada. Characterized by two main types — dry and wet — the disease targets central vision, impacting activities requiring fine motor skills such as reading or driving. 

Immigrants make up around 29 per cent of the population in British Columbia, yet the health care system and health research has largely been designed without the input of immigrant community members. Dr. Mei-ling Wiedmeyer, a Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute researcher, and the IRIS (Evaluating Inequities in Refugee & Immigrants’ Health Access) team have developed a novel methodological approach and toolkit to encourage greater participation of immigrant and migrant voices in health research and health services.

They can cleave apart tissue structures and promote inflammation. Now, research is uncovering the link between granzyme serine proteases and diseases ranging from cardiovascular ailments to asthma, autoimmune conditions, arthritis and skin problems. 

Celebrated yearly during the first week of May, Mental Health Week is a time for Canadians to promote mental health awareness. In honor of this annual awareness event, three research coordinators from the Mood Disorders Centre at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, under the guidance of VCHRI investigator Dr. Raymond Lam, discuss the significance of mental health research in improving treatment options and share tips on prioritizing well-being.