BC research funding collaboration supports critical COVID-19 vaccine research

Nine BC research teams are receiving funding to rapidly address critical questions around COVID-19 vaccine research, thanks to a partnership between MSFHR, Genome BC and the BCCDC Foundation. Rather than duplicating efforts, this partnership coordinates resources and funding to support researchers in generating the evidence and data to inform decision making for the benefit of British Columbians and their communities.

The supported projects represent a mix of laboratory-based and social dynamics studies, with both offering critical insights to urgent issues. Projects establishing surveillance for emerging variants and quantifying the immune response to the vaccine in individuals living with HIV, for example, will be important for targeted public health responses. The funded research will also address vaccine acceptance rates, reasons for hesitancy, and vaccine literacy among specific communities (South Asian community members, parents, and persons who are incarcerated).

View the full recipient list

Strategic partners on this initiative also include the BC Academic Health Science Network (BC AHSN) and Population Data BC. BC AHSN, through the BC SUPPORT Unit, has partnered on the call by providing supports to public engagement reviewers to participate in the review process. In addition, the BC SUPPORT Unit will provide consultation, training and supports to those who are interested in engaging patients and families, public and/or community members as partners on their research teams. Population Data BC is offering guidance and advice to the funded researchers on data access and linkage, and continuing in its efforts to make the data access process as simple and straightforward as possible for the research community.

As BC’s health research funding agency, MSFHR designs funding programs to develop, retain, and attract the people whose research improves the health of British Columbians, addresses health system priorities, creates jobs, and adds to the knowledge economy.

MSFHR recognizes that BC’s successful response to COVID-19 involves policy approaches anchored in science. We are using the information gathered through our extensive outreach to create programs and activities that will enable innovative, cross-disciplinary researchers and teams to produce the science and evidence British Columbians need to stay healthy. Learn more about MSFHR’s COVID-19 research response.