As co-leads of the UNBC’s Health Research Institute (HRI) we are pleased to submit the 2024-25 annual report for the HRI. In 2024-25, the HRI team has implemented new HRI initiatives (HRI Connect, Knowledge Synthesis Centre sustainability pilot), hosted or co-hosted many health research events and successfully co-led an institutional funding proposal to CFI/BCKDF which aims to support health equity for northern, rural and indigenous communities through a transformative health research infrastructure proposal. All of our activities underscore the importance of UNBC’s HRI strategic approach to advance Health Research in Northern BC in line with our Mission to help in the creation and sharing of knowledge that increases the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities.
This year, established Co-lead Dr. Sarah Gray, was joined by Dr. Trina Fyfe as Interim co-lead, to lead HRI activities that reflect the strategic directions of the HRI, as determined by the HRI Leadership Council. Trina also serves as the UNBC University Librarian and her engagement as the Interim Co-lead role has significantly advanced Knowledge Synthesis Centre activities through partnership with the UNBC Library. Dr. Margot Parkes, stepped away as HRI Co-lead during a 1-year term as Interim Dean for the Faculty of Human and Health Sciences (FHHS), remaining active as an HRI Leadership Council Member and Academic Lead for several HRI Initiatives. As HRI Co-leads, we remained focused on stability, longevity and advancement of the HRI. We continue to make strides towards financial stability for the HRI, expansion of HRI services to a broader range of members and a continued commitment to providing collaborating and convening events for health researchers across Northern BC and beyond.
Three key initiatives achieved in 2024-25 reporting period (April 2024 – March 2025) include:
- Socialization and uptake of HRI Connect to support HRI member collaboration and streamline HRI communications.
- Advancement of partner driven knowledge synthesis projects with Northern Health through a partner-funded Knowledge Synthesis Librarian (0.5 FTE) and student research assistants.
- Co-leadership of a UNBC/Lheidli T'enneh First Nation/UBC/NH partnered proposal for a Northern Hub for Health Research on UNBC and UHNBC campuses.
Building on successful precedents, our 2024-25 report exemplifies the scope and importance of diverse partnerships as central to HRI’s success and contributions to strengthening Health Research in Northern BC, which is facilitated by HRI co-lead and leadership council member who interact with NH, BCSPOR, PHSA, Health Research Council of BC, RCCbc and the NH MOU Steering Committee and Working Groups. Examples of successes from such partnerships include the completion of the first PHSA-NH-UNBC Project Grant (Phase 2) competition in Spring 2024 and an HRI-ORI partnership to support the new MOU Project Coordinator to facilitate NH-UNBC MOU steering and working group activities for 2025-26.
The 2024-25 HRI Seminar Series, coordinated by HRI Members Dr. Kendra Furber, Dr. Rheanna Robinson, Nuziha Thasneem Shakkir, Leana Garraway and Bree Loeffler, included research talks from external and UNBC scholars, a career development panel discussion, information sessions from provincial health services and funding agencies (First Nations Health Authority and Genome BC) and showcased the research outcomes of UNBC Health Science Honours students. In addition to the HRI Seminar Series, 2024-25 saw a full agenda of health research events by visiting scholars with expertise in medical education, agetech and rural/indigenous health service delivery.
The HRI co-hosted an NH-UNBC MOU Education and Training Day on the UNBC campus in Fall 2024 which brought together scholars from UNBC and NH, and we partnered with the Faculty of Human and Health Sciences (FHHS) on their Professorial Lecture for Dr. Davina Banner-Lukaris. We thank members of the Office of the Vice-President of Research and Innovation, Dr. Paula Wood-Adams, Dr. Davina Banner-Lukaris and Mark Barnes, for their support of HRI initiatives and in allowing the HRI to represent UNBC at health research tables locally, provincially and nationally.
The HRI Manager, Leana Garraway and HRI Administrative Assistant, Bree Loeffler continue to be the heart of the HRI team supporting the Knowledge Synthesis Research Librarian, Terri McKellar, Research Skills Development Trainee, Rhonda Thygesen, and student research assistants. We thank the HRI Leadership Council members that governed the strategic direction of the HRI in 2024-25. We sincerely thank departing member, Dr. Waqar Haque (FBE, Business, FSE, Computer Science) for his innovative work on developing HRI Connect for our members; and welcome Dr. Taru Manyanga (DMS, Master of Physiotherapy- North) as the newest member of the HRI Leadership Council. In 2024-25, we expanded student membership to include the highly motivated and engaged MSc level trainees, Mr. Jonathan Dolon (MSc, Health Sciences) and Mr. Jakob Ostberg (MSc, Interdisciplinary Studies) and created an elected position on the HRI Leadership Council.
The first election for this position will be initiated at the HRI Annual General Meeting scheduled for April 24, 2025, where our members will vote for one of three candidates who have been nominated to stand for membership. The addition of this position is a significant step in the evolution of HRI activity governance, that will support diverse membership on the HRI Leadership Council.
In 2025-26, the HRI leadership will dedicate time to the development of communication strategies, cost recovery models and evaluation of HRI services such as the Knowledge Synthesis Centre, HRI event planning and HRI Connect to enhance accessibility and transparency of HRI services. We will continue to lead engagement events to socialize the Northern Hub for Health Research across Northern BC, the province and nationally to achieve our goal of funding success. And finally, we will continue to foster and develop existing and new partnerships to support health research for the benefit of Northern BC and beyond.
Sincerely,
Sarah Gray, (HRI Co-Lead, Professor, DMS, NMP, UNBC)
Trina Fyfe, (HRI Interim Co-Lead, University Librarian, UNBC)
Margot Parkes, (HRI Co-Lead until July 1 2024, Interim Dean FHHS, Professor, Health Sciences/DMS, NMP, UNBC)