Q: What is your role at Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI)?
A: I am the new clinical research and community outreach coordinator. In this role I serve as a key liaison between researchers, the public and VCHRI. My primary focus is our research awareness campaign for which I help promote research studies at VCH and raise awareness about the benefits of and opportunities in health research throughout Vancouver.
Q: What is your area of research and why does it interest you?
A: I currently study immunological applications in infectious diseases. In particular, I look at Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) which is a disease affecting more than 300,000 hospital patients per year. About 25% of patients will relapse, and each subsequent episode becomes increasingly difficult to treat. It’s a major problem and an increasingly important research area.
Q: What do you do as part of the VGH Cardiac Research Team?
A:I oversee operations and provide leadership to the team. For our clinical trials and registries, I liaise with colleagues, industry and academic institutions. I am also a study coordinator, responsible for ethics applications, enrollment and monitoring patient progress. Lastly, I do budget negotiations, account management and financial reports.
Q: What does your work entail?
A: I manage respiratory patients’ participation in clinical trials. The trials evaluate the efficacy and safety of new respiratory medications. Our patients have conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and bronchiectasis. I work to ensure patient health and safety is a priority throughout the trials.
Q: What is your area of research and why does it interest you?
A: I work with the Canadian Collaborative Study on Hip Fractures, a national team of researchers, clinicians and policymakers led by Professor Boris Sobolev and Associate Professor Pierre Guy. Using the Canadian Institute for Health Information Discharge Abstract Database we study whether delaying surgery for non-medical reasons jeopardizes survival and recovery after hip fracture.
