The Michael Smith Health Research Foundation’s (MSHRF) Reach Program is designed to facilitate the uptake of health research evidence to inform and/or improve further research, practice and policymaking.
Introduced in 2017, Reach awards provide funding of up to $10,000 for teams of health researchers and research users as they plan and implement research dissemination activities to enable the transfer, exchange and/or uptake of research evidence in audiences who can directly use the information.
This year, 18 teams will be working at 11 BC institutions including Island Health, Simon Fraser University (SFU), University of the Fraser Valley, University of Victoria (UVic), University of Northern BC and Vancouver Island University. Guided by both research and research user expertise, teams will make use of workshops, online games, an online magazine and even a documentary film to share research and improve health policy and practice.
Focused on BC’s health system priorities, projects range from stress resilience among health care workers, to early interventions to prevent childhood obesity and management of opioid overdose risk in housing facilities.
A full list of funded teams and research projects is available here.
MSFHR actively seeks co-funding partners to allow us to fund a greater number of BC researchers and provide an opportunity for partnering organizations to advance research in their areas of interest.
This year, MSFHR is delighted to co-fund three Reach awards in partnership with the BC-CfE. Based at SFU, UVic and UBC’s Stigma & Resilience Among Vulnerable Youth Centre, these awards are focused on supporting sexual health in women living with HIV and LGBTQ youth, and helping people living with HIV navigate the housing system in BC.
The three Reach awards for HIV research were funded through a donation from BC-CfE Director Dr. Julio Montaner of $20,000 in prize money, received as part of prestigious Medal of Honour for outstanding contributions to health sciences and public health innovation.
2018 marks 25 years since Dr. Michael Smithreceived his Nobel Prize. A pre-eminent BC scientist, Dr. Smith had a long-standing commitment to supporting emerging research talent, developing scientific excellence and building research capacity in BC.
Named in his honour, the MSFHR focuses on talent development. Through each and every one of its funding awards, MSFHR is proud to continue Dr. Smith’s legacy.