VANCOUVER – Dr. Robert Hogg, research scientist with
the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and professor in
the faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University, and a team
of investigators from across the country have been awarded a $2.7M grant
from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to expand
Canada’s only longitudinal study of more than 10,000 HIV-positive
individuals accessing antiretroviral therapy in Canada.
The study known as Canadian Observational Cohort (CANOC)
Collaboration, has been examining data from patient databases across
British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec. The national research team has
been studying regional differences in viral load testing between
provinces, issues of co-infection with HIV and hepatitis C, and factors
associated with late initiation of anti-retroviral treatment, among
other clinically relevant topics. The team has identified a gap in
national active surveillance of HIV disease and co-morbid conditions,
and will use the new funding and resources to establish the CANOC
Centre. New projects will assess the impact of HIV on aging-related
co-morbidities, including cardiovascular disease, renal disease, liver
disease and cancer, and also include new research teams and patient data
from Saskatchewan.
“We are delighted to be able to continue the work established by the
Canadian Observational Cohort Collaboration through the newly funded
CIHR CANOC Centre,” says Dr. Robert Hogg, principal investigator of the
CANOC Centre research team.”Our large and productive team of
researchers will continue to monitor the impact and outcomes of modern
anti-retroviral therapy (ART) on individuals living with HIV in the
Canada, while exploring co-morbidities associated with aging on ART.”
The Centre will also provide new mentorship opportunities for students and community investigators.
“CANOC is well-situated to respond to future research questions
related to the Canadian HIV/AIDS epidemic,” says Dr. Hogg.”Over the
next five years, we will continue to gain valuable new insights into the
long-term effects of antiretroviral therapy in people living with HIV.”