The Foundation is pleased to announce that it\u2019s Scientific Advisory\u00a0Board has awarded grants for five new projects; one for workshop funding and four \u2018Blue Sky\u2019 research awards.<\/p>\n
Workshop<\/u><\/p>\n
Dr. Naveed Janjua and team have been awarded funds for \u201cCDPC National Knowledge Exchange and Consultation on Supervised Consumption Services\u201d, that together with funding from other sources, will facilitate a 2-day meeting to accelerate local efforts in BC to put together integrated supervised consumption services plans and facilitate a better understanding of the application process given the barriers posed by the Respect for Communities Act. The meeting will also enable a greater understanding of actual issues that arise when operating a supervised consumption site by featuring the direct experience of Vancouver\u2019s Insite and Dr. Peter Centre. All of this will result in the development of a policy brief written by the CDPC and the Legal Network, with the primary goal to directly impact the rate at which SCS applications are being processed by Health Canada.<\/p>\n
Blue Sky<\/u><\/p>\n
Dr. Victoria Cook and team have been awarded funds for \u201cEngaging clients in the field: WelTel Outreach\u201d that, together with funding from CIHR, will use a digital health platform to improve communication between members of the outreach team and their clients. The goal is to enhance continuity of care and client documentation for electronic patient charts.<\/p>\n
Dr. Jennifer Gardy and team will be working on \u201cGenomic Epidemiology of Non-Tuberculous Mycobacterial Infection in Cystic Fibrosis\u201d.\u00a0 The project will provide a better understanding of the modes of acquisition of drug-sensitive and drug-resistant NTM infection in CF patients in BC and will help inform infection control practices in CF clinics.<\/p>\n
Dr. Linda Hoang and team have been awarded funds for \u201cTracking plasmids in carbapenemase-producing organisms in British Columbia\u201c. The aim of the project is to evaluate an alternative method of obtaining unambiguous plasmid sequencing data for CPOs to assist in tracking drug resistance in DNA to better inform infection control and prevention. These funds are for a small section of a much larger study that was awarded funds from Genome BC.<\/p>\n
Dr. Natalie Prystajecky and team have been awarded funds for \u201cImproving Food Safety in BC with Enhanced Surveillance of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) via Whole Genome Sequencing\u201c.\u00a0 Together with funds from multiple sources, the goal is that the food safety threat and it\u2019s significant burden to the healthcare system, agri\/food industry and economy can be reduced by implementing an enhanced surveillance program that utilizes routine whole genome sequencing for cluster identification and source attribution.<\/p>\n