We gathered with our community in December to share what the WHRC has been up to and discuss where we want to go. Through group discussions, we defined our strategic priorities for 2021, formed working groups and made a plan to move forwards. Read this report for a summary of conversations and to learn how you can get involved! 

If you’d like to join any of the following working groups, get in touch (womenshealth.res@ubc.ca): Women’s Health Funding, Sex and Gender Based Analysis, Intersectionality, Perinatal Mental Health, Student Curriculum.

For #BellLetsTalk Day PhD student Kaylee Misener draws attention to the mental health challenges related to body image and disordered eating. Find out why body image matters in discussions of mental and physical health and how we can move towards having a positive body image.

Feb 23: Symposium 3: Traumatic Brain Injury

This symposium will share information about supporting survivors of intimate partner violence and traumatic brain injury (TBI), concussion recovery and how to take a life course perspective on women and TBI. This event is part of the Women’s Brain Health Conference Series. Register for the entire series here and receive access to all live events and post-event recordings or register for this individual session here. Read more about this symposium. 

10-11:30 am PST

Mar 2: Women's Brain Health Initiative Trainee-Mentor Session
This event is part of the WHRC’s Women’s Brain Health Conference. It provides students the opportunity to meet in an intimate setting with mentors to discuss critical aspects of women’s brain health research. You can register for the individual event, or purchase access to the entire conference. Mentor: Dr. Robert-Paul Juster, Assistant Research Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Addiction, University of Montreal. Learn more and register Here

10am-11am PST

Mar 2: A Fireside Chat with Margaret Price

The Public Humanities Hub in Arts is partnering with the WHRC to offer this opportunity to sit down with Dr. Margaret Price to discuss issues she addresses in her work on “madness” and academic life.  In conversation with our co-lead, Dr. Judy Segal, Dr. Price will question deeply-held, and generally unchallenged, values of university culture: productivity, participation, security, and independence. Learn more and register here (free!).

4-5:30 pm PST

National Collaborating Centres for Public Health Knowledge Translation Student Awards
This annual award recognizes the work of graduate students in Canadian public health knowledge translation. Three prizes of $1500 are awarded during the Canadian Public Health Association annual conference and winners will present their projects during the conference. Due March 31, 2021. 
 

L’Oréal Canada For Women in Science Fellowships
This year, two fellowships valued at $20,000 each will be awarded to female postdoctoral researchers in the fields of Life Sciences and Engineering/Pure and Applied Sciences. Candidates must conduct their research at a Canadian host institution or organization. Due April 14, 5:00pm EST Read more, apply here. 

NIH: Basic Research to Inform Vaccine and Therapeutic Development for Non-Polio Human Enteroviruses (NPEV)
The National Institute of Health is soliciting applications to expand basic research on non-polio enteroviruses (NPEV) that will inform the development of pan-enterovirus vaccines and broad-spectrum antivirals against enteroviruses A, B, C, and D. Six million is available for 8-16 awards. Due July 31, 2021. Read more. 

CIHR Network for Emerging Variants Research
Previously called the Canadian Network of Networks for SARS-CoV-2 Variant Research, this funding will support the creation of a single interdisciplinary Network for Emerging Variants Research. This network will, among other things, provide high-quality and real-time data on urgent and emerging research priorities in support of Canadas rapid response to emerging SARS-COV2 variants, through building and activating as needed, a rapid response capacity in Canada which can coordinate and conduct all aspects of VOC related research. Nine million available. Due March 8. Read more.

Heart and Stroke Foundation finds new ways to fundraise and raise awareness amid pandemic

“This is the number one killer of women,” said Dr. Tara Sedlak, Vancouver General Hospital cardiologist, about heart health. “I think a lot of people think that it’s breast cancer and other cancers but, actually heart disease and stroke is the number one killer.” (Global News)

Women work the COVID frontline but lack a voice, poll shows (Reuters)

Poland sees 2nd night of protests as near-total abortion ban takes effect (CBC)

Aurora Research Institute highlights women’s health in NWT [Northwest Territories] as part of speaker series (NNSL Media)

“Intimate-partner violence is still one of the most significant barriers to a healthy quality of life for women in the NWT and both the birth rate and percentage of breastfeeding mothers are trending downward.”

Research

COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines: Special Considerations in Pregnancy (NIH)

Women’s mental health as a public health priority: A call for action (Silverio, 2020)

Abortion laws and women’s health (Clark & Mühlrad, 2021)

Have a recent publication you want included in our newsletter? Get in touch—womenshealth.res@ubc.ca

We’d like to formally welcome the following new members to our cluster. We’re happy to have you working alongside us to support women’s health!

• Andrianna Autherine, undergraduate student at Frakaono (USA)
• This Rajapakshe, undergraduate student at the University of British Columbia Okanagan (Canada)
• Dr. Donna Korol, Associate Professor, Syracuse University (USA)
• Hawalul Nurdin, international medical graduate, RCSI (Canada)
• Jodie Hughes, PhD student at the University of Roehampton London (United Kingdom)
• Sasha Waters, Masters student at the University of British Columbia Okanagan (Canada)
• Shilpa Rao, PhD Candidate, Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute (USA)
• Ashwini Prabhakaran, undergraduate student at the University of British Columbia (Canada)
• Tessa Tattersall, Research Coordinator at the University of British Columbia (Canada)
• Julia Kearley, Cognitive Aging and Memory Lab Manager, Stony Brook University (USA)
• Santa Chow, Co-Chair of Community Stakeholder Committee, Legacy for Airway Health (Canada)
• Harlan Pruden, undergraduate student in the Chee Mamuk program at the BC Centre for Disease Control (Canada)
• Dr. Emmanuela Ojukwu, Assistant Professor, University of British Columbia (Canada)
• Dr. Victoria Sparrow-Downes, Resident Physician, Memorial University of Newfoundland (Canada)

If you know anyone who would be interested in joining the cluster, please feel free to share the online membership form or invite them to email us for more information.

If you feel passionate about the work we are doing and are in a position to give, consider making a one-time or monthly donation. 100% of proceeds will be used to promote women’s health research across public, government and academic domains.