Research Canada

In February 2019, Research Canada and CIMVHR co-hosted a luncheon that would address Veterans' mental health challenges through research solutions. The event informed parliamentarians on the research related to PTSD effects on Veterans and their families, treatments for PTSD, and suicide risk and prevention. Two of the researchers presenting were CIMVHR Fellow Dr. Jitender Sareen from the University of Manitoba and CIMVHR researcher Dr. Ruth Lanius from Western University.

In April 2020, CIMVHR became an official member of Research Canada and received continuous support and direction from their team. We look forward to working with them to continue advancing health research for Canada's military personnel, Veterans and their families.

A RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK: CANADIAN MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCHERS STAND UP TO COVID-19

In November 2020, CIMVHR and Research Canada continued to collaborate on advancing research. Over the past year and a half, COVID-19 has had significant mental health implications for Canadians, many of whom suffer from fear, anxiety, job loss and social isolation due to the pandemic. As a result, Research Canada created a series of virtual events to discuss the issue at hand. During the invitational event, A Race Against the Clock: Canadian Mental Health Researchers Stand Up to COVID-19, Dr. David Pedlar, Scientific Director at CIMVHR, moderated a panel of experts who discussed the psychosocial effects related to COVID-19. The Canadian researchers covered topics that focused on:

  • COVID-related discrimination in Quebec and its impact on mental health.
  • Translating to the Community: A social epigenetic study of FASD
  • Destigmatizing Chinese communities in the face of COVID-19.
  • Addiction substitution among gamblers following casino closures precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The impact of pandemic public health measures on access and experience of health services.

The Canadian experts on this panel in mental health research explored 1) individual psychosocial, 2) population psychosocial, and 3) the short- and long-term effects of COVID-19 on Canadians’ brain and mental health.

Click on the image below for event details and recording.