June 21, 2022
Computer models to detect disease, robotics to treat disorders, serious game educational resource for health students, active school travel initiatives, and team-based social prescribing—these are only a few of the interdisciplinary research projects that have been selected to receive a Health Innovation Funding Investment (HIFI) Award from UBC Health.
HIFI Awards enable interdisciplinary groups of health researchers to undertake innovative activities that have the potential to create change. HIFI catalyzes cross-faculty and cross-campus collaborations at the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses.
After much consideration, the HIFI review committee selected 11 collaborative teams across both campuses to receive funding. The addition of a team-based care funding stream this spring is supporting five of the teams to contribute to provincial efforts to establish and enhance team-based care.
Congratulations to the teams receiving a HIFI Award.
HIFI Recipients Spring 2022
GENERAL STREAM
Advancing data-driven rural unattached patient personas development: A person-centred design to inform preventative solutions
HIFI Award: $25,000
- Kathy Rush, Professor, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Social Development, UBC Okanagan
- Eric Li, Associate Professor, Faculty of Management and Principal’s Research Chair (Tier 2) in Social Innovation for Health Equity and Food Security, UBC Okanagan
- Charlene Ronquillo, Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Social Development, UBC Okanagan
- Khalad Hasan, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics, Irving Barber Faculty of Science, UBC Okanagan
- Jason Sutherland, Professor, Centre for Health Services and Policy Research, School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine
- Selena Davis, Adjunct Professor, Health Information Science, University of Victoria; Digital Health Strategist, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society
- Lindsay Burton, PhD student, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Social Development, UBC Okanagan
An environmental scan to promote effective communication for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing and live in BC long-term care facilities
HIFI Award: $24,818
- Jeff Small, Associate Professor and Director, School of Audiology and Speech Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
- Jennifer Baumbusch, Associate Professor, School of Nursing, Faculty of Applied Science
- Julie Beadle, Postdoctoral Associate, School of Audiology and Speech Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
- Diana Cochrane, Research Coordinator, School of Nursing, Faculty of Applied Science and School of Audiology and Speech Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
- Shannon Freeman, Associate Professor, School of Nursing, Faculty of Human and Health Sciences, University of Northern British Columbia; Adjunct Instructor, UBC Northern Medical Program, Faculty of Medicine
- Lillian Hung, Assistant Professor, CRC-Senior Care, School of Nursing, Faculty of Applied Science
- Lorienne Jenstad, Associate Professor, School of Audiology and Speech Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
- Grace Shyng, Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Audiology and Speech Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
- Sonia Hardern, Regional Practice Lead, Research and Knowledge Translation-Long Term Care and Long-Term Care and Assisted Living Professional Practice Team, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute
- Aderonke Agboji PhD Candidate, School of Nursing, Faculty of Human and Health Sciences, University of Northern British Columbia
Catalyzing multimodal magnetoencephalography (MEG) research on children’s brain health and development
HIFI Award: $25,000
- Hee Yeon Im, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts
- Deborah Giaschi, Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
- Janet Werker, Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts
- Anthony Herdman, Associate Professor, School of Audiology and Speech Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
- Lauren Emberson, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts
- Tamara Vanderwal, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine
- Rebecca Feldman, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, UBC Okanagan
- Alex Cook, PhD student, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts
- Zahra Kheradmandsaadi, PhD student, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts
- Akosua Kesewah Asare, PhD student, Neuroscience Program, Faculty of Medicine
Developing quantitative ultrasound imaging for organ inflammation and fibrosis
HIFI Award: $25,000
- Robert Rohling, Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science
- Christopher Nguan, Associate Professor, Department of Urologic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
- Kelly McNagny, Professor, Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine
- Mei-Lin Bissonnette, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine
- Maziar Riazy, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine
- Tim Salcudean, Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science and School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science and Faculty of Medicine
- Michael Hughes, Research Associate, School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science and Faculty of Medicine
- Kristin Li, Technician, School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science and Faculty of Medicine
- Rohit Singla, MD/PhD student, School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science and Faculty of Medicine
- Farah Deeba, PhD student, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science
- Yasmin Lau, undergraduate student, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine
- Cailin Ringstrom, undergraduate student, Engineering Physics, Faculty of Applied Science
Promoting active school travel in the BC Interior
HIFI Award: $14,000
- Christine Voss, Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine
- Mariana Brussoni, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics and School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine
- Trent Smith, Site Co-Director, Undergraduate Education, Southern Medical Program and Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine; Medical Director, Child and Youth, Interior Health
- Meghan Winters, Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University
- Brianna Tsui, graduate student, Experimental Medicine Program, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine
Young people with old muscles: mapping the decline of muscle health in musculoskeletal conditions
HIFI Award: $25,000
- Jackie Whittaker, Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine
- Cameron Mitchell, Assistant Professor, School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Education
- Marine Theret, Research Associate, School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science and Faculty of Medicine
- Michael Koehle, Professor, School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Education; Director, Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine
- Fabio Rossi, Professor, School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science and Faculty of Medicine
- Allyson Schweitzer, Assistant Professor, School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Education
- Justin Losciale, PhD student, Rehabilitation Sciences Program, Faculty of Medicine
- Trish Silvester-Lee, patient partner
TEAM-BASED CARE STREAM
Automated detection of Alzheimer’s Disease from retinal fundus images using deep learning
HIFI Award: $25,000
- Ipek Oruc, Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
- Robin Hsiung, Associate Professor, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine
- Sonia Yeung, Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
- Ozgur Yilmaz, Professor, Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science
Building capacity for team-based social prescribing in British Columbia
HIFI Award: $25,000
- Maureen Ashe, Professor, Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine
- Bill Miller, Professor, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine
- Ben Mortensen, Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine
- Christie Newton, Associate Professor and Associate Head, Education and Engagement, Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine
- Robert Petrella, Head and Professor, Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine
- Joseph Puyat, Assistant Professor, School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine
- Kathy Rush, Professor, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Social Development, UBC Okanagan
- Brodie Sakakibara, Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine; Investigator, Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Southern Medical Program, Faculty of Medicine, UBC Okanagan
- Sanya Grover, graduate student, Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine
- Gurkirat Singh Nijjar, graduate student, Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine
- Grace Park, Program Medical Director, Home Health, Fraser Health
- Beverley Pitman, United Way British Columbia
- Kate Mulligan, Assistant Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
- Anna Maria Chudyk, Postdoctoral fellow, College of Nursing, University of Manitoba
Development of a serious game educational resource on chronic pelvic pain in gynecology for Canadian health care providers-in-training
HIFI Award: $25,000
- Fuchsia Howard, Associate Professor, School of Nursing, Faculty of Applied Science
- Paul Yong, Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine
- Leanne Currie, Associate Professor, School of Nursing, Faculty of Applied Sciences
- Karim Qayumi, Professor, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine; Founder, Centre of Excellence for Simulation Education and Innovation
- Margaret Carlyle, Assistant Professor, Department of History and Sociology, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, UBC Okanagan
- Natasha Orr, postdoctoral fellow, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine
Optimizing team-integrated primary care for older adults
HIFI Award: $17,000
- Kerry Wilbur, Associate Professor and Executive Director, Entry to Practice Education, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Vanessa Kitchin, Librarian, Southern Medical Program, Faculty of Medicine, UBC Okanagan
- Jennifer Bolt, Clinical Assistant Professor (Partner), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Research and Development Pharmacist, Seniors’ Care/Pharmacy Practice Models, Interior Health
- Colleen Inglis, Assistant Professor (Partner), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Clinical Pharmacy and Research Specialist, Island Health and Community Health Services, Island Health
- Karen Dahri, Associate Professor (Partner), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Clinical Pharmacotherapeutic and Research Specialist, Vancouver Coastal Health
- Diane Villanyi, Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine
- Kristen Haase, Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, Faculty of Applied Sciences
- Nancy Sin, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts
- Edwin Betinol, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine
- Anuoluwapo Favour Awotunde, MPharm student, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Soft robotics, nanotech and the next technological leap of treating erectile dysfunction
HIFI Award: $25,000
- Hadi Mohammadi, Associate Professor, School of Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science, UBC Okanagan
- Ryan Flannigan, Assistant Professor, Department of Urologic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
Posted June 21, 2022
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