Vaccination is the best line of defense against meningitis, and determining whether three vaccines used to protect against a leading type of the disease are equally effective is the focus of research being conducted by Dr. Manish Sadarangani, a Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute researcher. His clinical trial aims to inject additional clarity into the administration of meningococcal C vaccines across Canada.
Even the most seasoned weightlifters will feel the burn after pumping iron for a few sets. Their muscles cue their brain to take a break and relax, but for spinal cord and brain injury patients, that muscle-brain connection may be damaged or severed. This disconnect can lead to a painful condition called problematic spasticity, when muscles fire involuntarily and relentlessly.
People with insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes may benefit from meeting with their general practitioner (GP) regularly, even when their symptoms seem to be under control. This recommendation stems from a nationally representative research study out of Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) that found visiting a GP at least once per year significantly reduced in-hospital time.
Survival rates for prostate cancer patients are high, but a diagnosis often comes with life-changing decisions and consequences for men and their loved ones. A new joint research study on peer navigation could give more prostate cancer patients, as well as their support system, the opportunity to be paired with a prostate cancer survivor or caregiver who can provide emotional and informational support.
The Centre for Cardiovascular Innovation – Centre d’Innovation Cardiovasculaire (CCI-CIC) is a new research centre at the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute that gives B.C.’s cardiovascular researchers the chance to develop research projects aimed at improving patient care. Launched with the inclusion of 47 cardiovascular co-investigators, CCI-CIC investigates 16 major domains within cardiovascular medicine including arrythmia, coronary and structural heart disease interventions, surgery, congenital heart disease, pediatrics, heart function, basic science and imaging.
For more than two decades, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute scientist Dr. Anthony Phillips’s research on the brain’s dopamine system has dovetailed with his extensive work investigating plant-derived chemical compounds called tetrahydroprotoberberines (THPBs).
While physical distancing requirements for COVID-19 have proven challenging for most people, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute scientist Dr. Bill Miller and University of British Columbia (UBC) PhD student Gordon Tao view the situation as an opportunity to highlight telerehabilitation services and how they can be successfully provided to patients in a variety of ways.
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Dr. Jeremy Road and colleague, Dr. Chris Miller, recognized that their work with nitric oxide could be a game-changer. They were in the midst of examining the application of the virus-, bacteria- and fungus-killing free radical against non-tuberculous mycobacterial and other infections, and quickly pivoted their investigations towards the new coronavirus.
