Getting a bad night’s sleep can do more than make us feel hazy and tired the next day. It can also contribute to the development of cognitive impairment and dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease, particularly later in life. A new study led by Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) researchers Ryan Falck and Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose is examining interventions that could protect our cognitive function as we age. 

Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is diagnosed in more than 130,000 people globally every year. Now, work is being done on a tool to help in its early detection: a simple, compact laser probe that can distinguish between harmless moles and cancerous ones–in a matter of seconds.

Keeping alcohol consumption in check is recommended for our overall health and well-being, but Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute researcher Dr. Peter Chan says moderation becomes even more essential as we age.

Q: Do the effects of alcohol change the older we get?
A: As we age, the effect of alcohol on our brain increases. This means that even one or two drinks can induce feelings of intoxication, such as feeling out of control, dizzy and light-headed. These effects are experienced to a greater extent for older adults than for younger adults.    

Health care workers face more violence on the job than any other public sector worker, including police and correctional officers. Despite a widely-implemented provincial violence prevention curriculum, injury rates over the past several years have remained stable and even risen in high-risk areas, including emergency rooms, mental health centres and residential care homes. To find out why, researchers  are launching an evaluation of BC’s violence prevention education to better understand the challenges of applying classroom learning to the real world.  

An innovative approach to diabetes prevention for the at-risk South Asian community is showing early success. Project Bhangra, which targets school-aged children, was created by Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute scientist Dr. Tricia Tang and her colleagues. Implemented last year, the project provides free after-school Bhangra dance lessons to children in four elementary schools in Surrey and Delta.

One of the most prevalent and concerning complications diabetes patients face is diabetic retinopathy (DR), which can lead to partial or complete vision loss. Now, a clinical trial based out of Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) could uncover clues about how the disease progresses, enabling clinicians to intervene quickly and only when necessary. 

“Historically, Indigenous women’s voices have not been heard in the health care system, and their opinions were not sought,” says Colleen Stewart, a researcher at the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI). While much progress has been made, more work is needed to provide culturally appropriate care for Indigenous women. 

According to data from UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), less than 30 per cent of the world's researchers are female. But that discouraging number didn't stop these women from pursuing their passion for science and discovery.