Workshops

With support from the Canadian Association for HIV Research, the Canadian AIDS Society and the Canadian Positive People Network hosted a series of six virtual workshops focused on emotional and practical skills. These workshops aimed to strengthen and support the longevity of people living with HIV who lead and work in the field.

CAHR was pleased to host this three-part virtual workshop that was designed for peer research assistants and front-line community workers in the realm of HIV. This learning event covered the basics of communications, delved into media tools, and examined design elements to help participants successfully share information to improve public health programs and the lives of those living with HIV. Led by Dr. Francisco Ibanez-Carrasco (Dalla Lana School of Public Health) and Diane Campbell (Ontario HIV Treatment Network), the workshop took place November 7th, 8th and 22nd.

Nearly 40 new and aspiring researchers attended the fourth Data Collection Skill Development Workshop on May 23-24, 2024 in Toronto, ON. This interactive, interdisciplinary workshop – led by Dr. Kelly O’Brien (University of Toronto) – sought to advance equity-informed knowledge, skills, and capacity to plan, implement and engage in rigorous and robust HIV research and interventions. Participants learned enhanced skills in data collection, data management, and communication, transfer and exchange of data on HIV research, all in an effort to build a strong foundation for future collaborations in the field. CAHR extends its appreciation to CIHR and the Public Health Agency of Canada for their support of this meeting.

Held in conjunction with the CAHR 2024 Conference, the 16th annual New Investigator Workshop brought together nearly 70 aspiring researchers – ranging from peer researchers, Master’s students and new faculty – from all research disciplines including community-based research. The event was co-chaired by Shanelle Gingras (CAHR Board Trainee Representative and PhD Candidate in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Manitoba) and Dr. Nathan Lachowsky (Associate Dean Research Faculty of Human and Social Development and Associate Professor School of Public Health and Social Policy at the University of Victoria).

At this two-day virtual workshop that delved into the journey of aging with HIV, over 50 participants discussed living with HIV and cognition, aging, exercise, and health promoting interventions. Supported by CAHR, CIHR, University of Regina, Realize, and PANACHE, the event featured presentations by Dr. Marie-Josée Brouillette from McGill University, Kate Murzin (Realize), Dr. Francisco Ibáñez-Carrasco (University of Toronto), Marvelous Muchenje (University of Toronto), Dr. Rachel Landy (Dalhousie University), and Dr. Andrew Eaton (University of Regina), among others. See: http://localhost:10047/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/English.jpg

While training and mentorship activities in all disciplines are often viewed as a necessity for young investigators, the reality is that such opportunities to learn from leaders in the field are just as beneficial for mid-career researchers. This workshop offered mid-career researchers the chance to learn from those with a wealth of experience in such domains as academic leadership, taking sabbaticals, career change, finding alternative funding sources, and communicating effectively with decision-makers. The event was co-hosted by CAHR and the Canadian Foundation for Infectious Diseases (CIFD), with support from CIHR, AbbVie and Merck.

CAHR was pleased to support this workshop focussed on harm reduction approaches that put the needs and goals of people who use drugs at the forefront and which improve access to non-stigmatizing healthcare and social services. The meeting was led by the community organization National Safer Supply Community of Practice (London, ON) in partnership with Drs. Carol Strike (Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto) and Adrian Guta (University of Windsor).

CAHR was pleased to support this meeting which offered the opportunity to exchange ideas, promote collaboration and foster KT among Canadian clinicians, laboratory providers, public health researchers, policy makers, academic and community based organizations with an interest in interventions aimed at eradicating hepatitis B virus (HBV). The event was co-chaired by Drs. Carla Coffin (University of Calgary) and Carla Oslowy (NML Winnipeg). See sessions at: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNzFq1xPT6SQuu7gsnta1x50c6UWONEOt

Though this workshop, teams comprised of community grounded persons and graduate students were assisted in preparing social behavioural participatory intervention projects that address one sexual health, STBBI, Hepatitis C or HIV situation or phenomenon.  The activity aimed to offer participants a deeper understanding of participatory intervention research in context by engaging in collaborative learning (e.g., online, in-person sessions, reading few pertinent academic and non-profit documents). The workshop was supported by the Canadian Association for HIV research (CAHR) and the Canadian Association for Global Health (CAGH), and led by Dr. Francisco Ibanez-Carrasco from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto. For more information, click here.

Held in conjunction with the CAHR 2023 Conference, the 15th annual New Investigator Workshop brought together nearly 80 aspiring researchers – ranging from peer researchers, Master’s students and new faculty – from all research disciplines including community-based research.  Co-chaired by Dr. Kate Salters (Simon Fraser) and Riley Tough (University of Manitoba), the workshop included mentorship sessions and presentations from leading Canadian researchers on topics such as getting your grant funded, publishing, career development, and the power of social media. Hosted by the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR), sponsors for this event include the Canadian Association for Global Health (CAGH) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Online: June 6, 13, 20, 2022

This online event was targeted to early career researchers working in the realm of  HIV and HCV who use social science theory and/or methods in their studies.   Over 40 Masters and Doctoral students, Fellows and Residents, and Faculty and Community Based Researchers (within five years of their first appointment) participated in the meeting.  The goals of the meeting were to:

• Promote responsible social science research practices related to the creation and dissemination of knowledge products
• Develop skills to work responsibly with, and for, communities;
• Develop and improve skills to manage the peer review process; and
• Develop skills for productive, responsible and ethical social science writing.

Speakers at the workshop included:

• Carol Strike. Dalla Lana, School of Public Health, University of Toronto.
• Adrian Guta, Associate Professor in the School of Social Work, University of Windsor.
• Randy jackson, Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Department of Health Aging & Society, Macmaster University.
• Marilou Gagnon, Professor, School of Nursing, Faculty of Human and Social Development, University of Victoria; Scientist at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR).
• Alexander Mcclelland, Assistant Professor, Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Carleton University.
• Leeat Granek, York University, School of Health Policy and Management and Dept of Psychology.
• Sarah Flicker, Professor, Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change. York University
• Sarah Switzer, Senior Researcher, Centre for Community Based Research (CCBR)

The event was sponsored by the Canadian Association for HIV Research, the Canadian Association for Global Health, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Click here for more program information.

Held in conjunction with the CAHR 2022 Conference, the 14th annual New Investigator Workshop brought together over 65 aspiring researchers – ranging from peer researchers, Master’s students and new faculty – from all research disciplines including community-based research. The virtual event was co-chaired by Dr. Surita Parashar (BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS) and Riley Tough (University of Manitoba). The workshop included mentorship sessions and presentations from leading Canadian researchers on topics such as getting your grant funded, publishing, career development, and dealing with the media. Hosted by the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR), sponsors for this event included the Canadian Association for Global Health (CAGH) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Held in conjunction with the 2021 CAHR Conference, the 13th annual CAHR New Investigator Workshop brought together over 50 aspiring HIV researchers – ranging from Master’s students and New Faculty — from all research disciplines including community-based research.   Co-chairs Dr. Curtis Cooper (Ottawa Hospital) and Dr. Keith Fowke (University of Manitoba) led mentorship sessions and presentations from leading Canadian researchers on topics such as getting your grant-funded, publishing and working with the media as part of the one-day event.   Registration was free for all CAHR 2021 Conference goers.   CAHR thanks its partner on this event (The Canadian Foundation for Infectious Diseases) and event sponsors (CSIH, Abbvie, CTN, CIHR, and the University of Manitoba).  Session recording of the event:https://www.youtube.com/user/CAHRACRV/videos

This virtual Professional Development Workshop for Infectious Disease researchers – October 22-23, 2020 — was made possible through an innovative partnership between the Canadian Foundation for Infectious Diseases (CFID), the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR) and CIHR’s Institute of Infection and Immunity (III) and HIV/AIDS Research Initiative.  Over the course of two days, over twenty mid-career researchers had the opportunity to network and learn from those with a wealth of experience in such domains as academic leadership, career progression, effective partnerships, global engagement, and communicating effectively with decision-makers.  Co-chaired by Dr. Curtis Cooper (University of Ottawa) and Dr. Keith Fowke (University of Manitoba), the meeting included presentations from Dr. David Evans (University of Alberta); Dr. Charu Kaushic (McMaster University, CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity); and Dr. Guido van Marle (University of Calgary).  Special thanks are extended to sponsors Merck, Gilead, Innovative Medicines and the Canadian Society for International Health.  Click HERE to view the suite of presentations.

This workshop brought together researchers/trainees/community members to learn theoretical concepts and practical skills to build and implement interventions, activities and projects within the framework of Program Science.  This workshop was a partnership between CAHR, UWW, and the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH).

CAHR was pleased to support this one-day workshop which brought together speakers from across Canada to share research and practice insights about harm reduction in small, rural, and remote Canadian communities.  With over 70 participants, the morning consisted of presentations exploring the harm reduction needs of diverse communities affected by HIV and other bloodborne diseases, available program and services, and barriers and facilitators.  This was followed by a facilitated discussion to develop a future research and practice agenda.  Other funders included the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH).  The meeting was organized by Adrian Guta (University of Windsor), Carol Strike (University of Toronto), Marilou Gagnon (University of Victoria), Mona Loutfy (Women’s College Hospital, University of Toronto), Richard Elliott (Executive Director of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network), and Steve Pratt (Chief Executive Officer, United Way Chatham-Kent).

Saskatchewan has the highest rate of HIV in Canada, and Indigenous populations within Saskatchewan and throughout Canada continue to be disproportionately affected. As part an effort to address this situation, this CBR skills building workshop brought together over 40 Indigenous community members, peer research associates, research leaders and others to build community based research capacity, discuss the scale-up of successful interventions, and seek solutions to key issues impacting HIV/HCV/STBBI treatment, care, and preventative programming.

Moderator and Host: Terry Howard, GlassHouse Consultants

Presenters: Willie Ermine, Carrie Bourassa, Malcolm King, Alexandra King, Albert McLeod, Sherri Pooyak, Marni Amirault, John Kim, Sugandhi del Canto.

This workshop was made possible thanks to the support of the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR); CanHepC; Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH); Gilead; and the Canadian Institutes of HIV Research (CIHR) and in partnership with the Universities Without Walls (UWW); Cameco Chair – University of Saskatchewan, the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network (CAAN); the Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Oriented Research (SCPOR); and the Saskatchewan HIV/AIDS Research Endeavour (SHARE).

Held in conjunction with the 2019 Conference, the 12th annual CAHR Conference New Investigator Workshop brought together nearly 60 new researchers – ranging from Master’s students to New Faculty — from all research disciplines. The meeting was co-chaired by Drs. Kate Salters (University of British Columbia) and Carmen Logie (University of Toronto) and included presentations from leading Canadian HIV researchers. Sessions centred on getting your grant funded, writing, publishing and working with the community. CAHR extends its appreciation to: CTN, CIHR, and the Canadian Society for International Health for their support for this meeting.

CAHR, CSIH and UWW partnered to deliver a Learning Institute for and by Peer Researchers working on Intervention Research and CBR on HIV, Hep C and STBBIs The Workshop supported more than 20 mid-career investigators, post-doctoral students, and community scholars who are planning to hire “peers” for one or all phases of an intervention research study. Peers are defined here as people living with the chronic condition such as HIV, Hep C, and other STBBI. Funders: CAHR, CSIH, REACH2.0/Universities Without Walls

This workshop focused on supporting and coordinating regional / national efforts to reach those who are undiagnosed with HIV and HCV. Chaired by Dr. Sean Rourke, the meeting brought together 38 attendees/presenters from across Canada hailing from research, government, health authorities, testing companies, community-based organizations and those living with HIV and HCV. The workshop had three main learning objectives: (1) develop and enhance knowledge about program science and HIV/HCV/STI testing; (2) develop and support teams to submit CIHR grants in novel HIV / HCV / STI testing methods in future competitions; and (3) develop and begin to Initiate a national implementation strategy for reaching the undiagnosed in Canada. This workshop was hosted by the Canadian Association of HIV Research (CAHR) and the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH), in partnership the CIHR Centre for REACH in HIV/AIDS, with support from CIHR and the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research (CANFAR).

CAHR and CSIH were proud to support the aging and rehabilitation intervention focussed “4th International Forum on HIV and Rehabilitation Research and Intersectoral Policy Dialogue Forum”. As led by the Canadian-International HIV and Rehabilitation Research Collaborative and Realize, this meeting centred on the following objectives: to facilitate knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) on HIV and HCV and rehabilitation research, clinical practice and service delivery, among people living with HIV and HCV, researchers, clinicians, representatives of community organizations, and policy makers internationally; to establish new research and clinical partnerships internationally; and to foster mentorship and training.

Held in conjunction with the 2018 Conference, the 11th annual CAHR Conference New Investigator Workshop brought together over 50 new researchers – ranging from Master’s students to New Faculty — from all research disciplines. The meeting was co-chaired by Drs. Curtis Cooper (Ottawa Hospital) and Kate Salters (University of British Columbia), and included presentations from leading Canadian HIV researchers. Sessions focused on getting your grant funded, writing, publishing and working with the community. CAHR extends its appreciation to: CTN, CIHR, and the Canadian Society for International Health for their support for this meeting.

CAHR was pleased to support this workshop that aimed to encourage African, Caribbean, Black (ACB) Canadians and allied researchers, clincians and service providers in the field of HIV to think through the nuances of conducting ethical and beneficial research with and for ACB communities. This workshop offered a space for stakeholders to assess the unique needs of intersectionally marginalized ACB populations, and where they could network in planning future HIV research projects for ACB peoples in Canada.

CAHR was pleased to partner with the Canadian Foundation for Infectious Diseases (CFID) on a Professional Development Workshop for Canadian Viral Researchers. This workshop targeted mid-career basic and clinical scientists who are engaged in viral research. The meeting was co-chaired by Drs. Curtis Cooper (University of Ottawa) and Susan Richardson (University of Toronto), and brought together two leading Canadian infectious disease based organizations. Topics covered included: grant writing, success in securing funding, mentorship, leadership, academic promotion, knowledge translation, communicating with decision-makers and working with Indigenous cultures. CAHR thanks is meeting sponsors: CIHR, CSIH, Merck, Gilead, CanHepC, Hologic and CTN.

CAHR, the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH) and Universities Without Walls (UWW) were pleased to hold a workshop focused on including Peer Research Associates (PRAs) in Intervention Research. The key learning outcomes of the workshop were to: 1) produce a short but actionable list of recommendations for practice of including PRAs in Intervention research studies; and 2) improve healthcare systems and practice by engaging patients as partners and focussing on patient-identified priorities.

CAHR, the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH) and the Universities Without Walls(UWW) were pleased to hold their fourth Data Collection Skill Development Workshop. The workshop aimed to instruct attendees on such things as collecting data using one on one interviews, participant observation, arts based methods, focus groups, and structured surveys.

CAHR, the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH) and the Universities Without Walls (UWW) brought together the 2017-18 Universities Without Walls Fellows and their mentors for a two day workshop focused on program intervention and implementation. In advance of the meeting, participants worked independently with their mentors to acquire skills, and came together to apply their skills in working with community partners, program evaluation and turning research findings into policy.

CAHR the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH) were pleased to support a Community Health Forum that brought attention to U=U and the potential impacts and limits of HIV treatment science. The undetectable = untransmittable (U=U) campaign is an international movement which unites communities of people living with HIV, community-based agencies, health care providers and leading HIV researchers in support of a clear, evidence-based consensus statement about the power of effective antiretroviral treatment to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV. The forum unpacked the history and science behind U=U and what the statement means for all people living with HIV in daily life. Speakers included Bruce Richman (Prevention Access Campaign) and Camille Arkell (CATIE), and others will be included in a panel discussion. Other lead funders include: CATIE, ACT, UWW, and OHTN.

CAHR was pleased to support this full-day interactive workshop that was intended for people interested in health equity and who wish to deepen their understanding of privilege. The course was particularly designed for clinicians, health profession educators, health researchers, and people working in health policy. People from all stages of their career were welcome – from students to those in senior positions.

CAHR, the Canadian Society for International Health, and the Universities Without Walls (UWW) partnered on the third Data Collection Skill Development Workshop which aimed to: assist new HIV researchers to identify, anticipate and plan for the challenges they may experience collecting data for their masters, doctoral and/or post-doctoral projects and/or community-based research projects; use real and simulated case examples to explore options for responding to complex methodological and ethical challenges experienced while conducting research; provide an opportunity for each attendee to discuss their own research project that is in the planning stage with experienced researchers; and promote ethical and methodological reflection, and strategies to mitigate harm to communities, throughout the stages of data collection and management. This one-day workshop focussed on five data collection methods used in HIV research: focus group discussions, observation/participant observation/ethnography, semi-structured interviews (in English and French), structured surveys, and arts-based methods.

The session was led and facilitated by Dr. Carol Strike (Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto), Dr. Adrian Guta (School of Social Work, University of Windsor), Dr. Francisco Ibáñez-Carrasco (Ontario HIV Treatment Network), Dr. Sarah Flicker (Environmental Studies, York University), Dr. Kelly O’Brien (Physical Therapy, University of Toronto), and Dr. Marilou Gagnon (School of Nursing, University of Ottawa).

Held in conjunction with the 2017 Conference, the 10th annual CAHR Conference New Investigator Workshop brought together over 60 new researchers – ranging from Master’s to new researchers — from all research disciplines. The meeting, chaired by Drs. Curtis Cooper (Ottawa Hospital) and Hélène Côté (University of British Columbia), included presentations from leading Canadian HIV researchers and sessions such as getting your grant funded, time management and working with the community. CAHR extends its appreciation to: CTN, CIHR, CanHepC and the Canadian Society for International Health for their support for this meeting.

The Navigating the New HIV/HCV Funding Landscape workshop focused on enabling early and mid-career researchers to succeed in the new Canadian research funding schemes, providing strategies for developing successful grant proposals, and exploring research funding alternatives. Over 25 researchers attended the workshop – co-chaired by Drs. Carol Strike (University of Toronto) and Curtis Cooper (University of Ottawa) – which was held in partnership with the Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative Alliance Coordinating Office, the Canadian Society for International Health, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research.

This educational and KTE workshop brought together over 30 Peer Research Associates (PRAs) and emerging researchers working in the realm of HIV and HCV.

Facilitated by experienced academics, service providers and PRAs, the workshop provided a broad overview of how, why and when PRAs must be supported in four areas: administrative, financial, emotional and educational. The expert speakers used a variety of methods to:

• highlight the role of PRAs in the syndemics,
• showcase practical support tools and best practices for PRAs, and
• explore real life scenarios in which PRAs are supported.

CAHR thanks its workshop partners: Ontario HIV Treatment Network; REACH 2.0; Universities Without Walls; and the Canadian Society for International Health.

Held in conjunction with the 2016 Conference, the 9th annual CAHR Conference New Investigator Workshop brought together nearly 70 new researchers – ranging from Master’s to new researchers — from all research disciplines. The meeting, chaired by Drs. Curtis Cooper (Ottawa Hospital) and Hélène Côté (University of British Columbia), included presentations from leading Canadian HIV researchers and sessions such as getting your grant funded, time management and working with the community. CAHR extends its appreciation to: the Public Health Agency of Canada, Abbvie, CTN, CIHR, CANFAR and the Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative Research and Development Alliance Coordinating Office for their generous support for this meeting.

CAHR was pleased to support “The University Without Walls: Pan American Experiences of Research and Action” conference which took place at the University of Quebec in Montreal. Focusing on the Pan American landscape, the conference brought together researchers and community members to discuss current research projects, examine gaps and opportunities, forge new partnerships, and develop a strategic path forward.

What is more powerful than a good conversation? CAHR was pleased to support the University of Manitoba’s Visionary Conversation: Can the University of Manitoba’s renowned scientists help us achieve this ambitious goal? Speakers included: Drs. Stephen Moses, Jamie Blanchard, Keith Fowke, Marissa Becker and Ken Kasper. The event will take place at he University of Manitoba’s Robert Schultz Theatre (St. John’s College, Fort Garry Campus).

CAHR was proud to partner with the Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative Research and Development Alliance Coordinating Office (ACO) on a New and Early Career Investigator Workshop entitled “Career Pathways for Biomedical Scientists” that was targeted towards individuals with an interest in HIV vaccine research. The aim of this workshop was to identify various career pathways and options for new and early career investigators with an interest in HIV vaccine research and development. The workshop also identified gaps in training to help prepare for non-academic career paths and to provide networking opportunities between new and early career investigators and industry representatives. Over twenty new and early career investigators who are nearing the end of their PhD or Post Doc training attended the workshop which included sessions on landing your first job, internships, identifying career options, preparing for jobs in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industries, as well as other career development and mentorship opportunities.

Over 25 students participated in the 2^nd annual Data Collection Workshop which was co-chaired by Drs. Carol Strike, Adrian Guta, Kelly O’Brien, Francisco Ibanez-Carrasco and Sarah Flicker.

The aspiring HIV/HCV researchers in attendance: learned how to identify, anticipate and plan for the challenges they may experience collecting data for their masters, doctoral and/or post-doctoral projects and/or community-based research projects; used real and simulated case examples to explore options for responding to complex methodological and ethical challenges experienced while conducting research; discussed their own research project that is in the planning stage with experienced researchers; and examined ethical and methodological reflection, and strategies to mitigate harm to communities and their ecology, throughout the stages of data collection and management. Ultimately, the new HIV/HCV researchers were empowered to develop more carefully designed, rigorous and robust graduate student research fellowship and grant applications. CAHR extends its appreciation to CIHR, PHAC, CANFAR, the CHVI ACO and the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH) for their support of this meeting.

The Canadian Association for HIV/AIDS Research (CAHR) in partnership with the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH) held a Global Health Workshop for early and new HIV and HCV investigators as a satellite session of the Canadian Conference on Global Health in Montreal. The meeting was co-chaired by Drs. Marissa Becker (University of Manitoba) and Curtis Cooper (Ottawa Hospital). Those in attendance learned such valuable lessons as: ethics in the global context; grant writing tips; time management; and lived experiences of working abroad. Participants also met one-on-one with leaders in the field during a roundtable mentorship session. CAHR and CSIH would like to extend their appreciation to CIHR, CANFAR, PHAC, the Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development, the National Collaborative Hepatitis C Network, the Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative Research and Development Alliance Coordinating Office, and the National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases for their generous support for this meeting.

On October 14th, CAHR and partners held a science café on the topic of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, or PrEP. The café was held in Toronto (Oakham House, Ryerson University) and included presenters from a variety of perspectives. Dr. Darrell Tan from St. Michael’s Hospital described the new understandings of HIV transmission risk, and various methods of reducing the risk of transmission. Bob Leahy from PositiveLite.com spoke about the implications of this research and these new understandings, and how they are understood by people living with/at risk for HIV. Jody Jollimore from the Health Initiative for Men spoke about what this means for organizations providing prevention services, and touched on experiences of those taking PrEP. San Patten, from San Patten and Associates touched upon gender equity and what PrEP and other methods of reducing transmission risk mean for women.

The café was facilitated by Marc-André LeBlanc and over 100 people were in attendance,. CAHR thanks CATIE, the AIDS Committee of Toronto and the Public Health Agency of Canada for partnering on this effort. CAHR also extends its thanks to Gilead Sciences for sponsoring the meeting.

CAHR supported scholarships to the North American Housing and HIV/AIDS Research Summit VIII: Tackling the Social Drivers of HIV (September 14-16, 2015, Washington DC). Attendees also took part in one of four full-day learning institutes, focused on developing a deeper understanding of methodologies, policies, practices and advocacy related to HIV.

CAHR, in partnership with CIHR, hosted a second Community Based Research dialogue session targeting Peer Research Associates. This workshop, titled “The Rise of Peer Researchers: A National Dialogue on Developing Support Standards” was co-chaired by CAHR Council member Terry Howard and Dalhousie University professor Jacquie Gahagan, brought together peer research associates and community research associates in an effort to define and establish uniform Canadian peer research support standards. This workshop — and other CAHR supported efforts over the last year — have led to the creation of “living document” entitled Peer Worker Support Project: Developing Industry Support Standards for Peer Workers Living with HIV that will provide support options for peer workers and those who employ them.

Held in conjunction with CAHR Conference 2015, over 60 new researchers – ranging from Master’s to new researchers — from all research tracks attended this full day workshop. Chaired by Drs. Curtis Cooper (Ottawa Hospital) and Marissa Becker (UManitoba), sessions were led by leading Canadian HIV researchers and representatives from research funding organizations. CAHR extends its appreciation to CIHR, PHAC, CANFAR and the Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative Research and Development Alliance Coordinating Office for their generous support for this meeting.

This workshop, co-chaired by CAHR Council members Drs. Jonathan Angel (Ottawa Hospital Research Institute) and Michael Grant (Memorial University), was targeted to mid-career level researchers who were interested in becoming better communicators. Session topics included: dealing with the media; what is KT?; talking to policy-makers and politicians; demonstrating impact to research funders; writing for a lay audience; and preparing a research talk. This meeting was made possible thanks to support from: the Public Health Agency of Canada; the Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative Alliance Coordinating Office; the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative; CATIE; and CANFAR.

On December 4th, CAHR and partners held a science café on the topic of HIV/HCV co-infection. The café was held in Ottawa and included presenters from a variety of perspectives: Drs. Curtis Cooper and Crystal Holly (Ottawa Hospital and Regional Hepatitis Program) and Colleen Price, Patient Advocate. The café was part of a continued series of efforts by CAHR to draw attention to the issue of HIV/HCV co-infection.

The café brought attention to the fact that as people with HIV live longer, the complications from HCV and other co-infections have more time to develop. HCV complications (cirrhosis, liver cancer/disease) generally develop over 20-30 years and are among the leading non-AIDS causes of death in HIV co-infected individuals and treatment for each disease is complicated, expensive and has side effects. This poses difficult issues for patients who are living with both HIV and HCV, and greatly impacts which treatments are selected.

The meeting included lively discussion with people living with co-infection, health care providers, researchers and members of the community. Questions and comments were put forth on a variety of topics including: why is there a continued need for more research on HCV?; why are people still getting infected (and the psycho-social reasons behind this)?; the continued effects of stigma and discrimination and its effect on mental health; and exciting new breakthroughs that have led to new treatments for those living with HCV.

CAHR thanks its generous partners for making this workshop possible: the Public Health Agency of Canada, Gilead, the Canadian Association for HIV Research, the Canadian AIDS Society, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and the Canadian Society for International Health.

CAHR and partners – the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative Alliance Coordinating Office, the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative, Janssen and CANFAR – held another successful New HIV Researcher Workshop in Edmonton, Alberta. The meeting, which was co-chaired by Drs. Curtis Cooper (University of Ottawa) and Matthias Götte (University of Alberta), was attended by nearly 50 aspiring HIV, HCV and STBBI researchers from the University of Alberta, University of Calgary, and from other institutions across Canada.

CAHR, in partnership with CIHR, held a Community Based Research (CBR) dialogue session entitled “The Rise of Peer Researchers: A National Dialogue on Developing Support Standards”. The Dialogue Session brought together 15 peer research associates and community research associates from across Canada, in both the General and Aboriginal streams of HIV CBR. Focussing on discussing, defining, and establishing peer research support standards, the day long meeting was informed by shared focus group data collected from sessions with peer workers, research “employers” and investigators, and a Cafe Scientifique held in Vancouver over the past six months. The evaluative report resulting from the Gathering will be shared with researchers and community members, as well as interested funders and government agencies, to provide experiential evidence of “what works and what needs to be worked on” regarding the provision of support for peer researchers.

From June 17-19, CAHR and CIHR partnered with the Pacific AIDS Network to support the Moving Mountains HIV/AIDS Community Based Research Conference in Prince George. The event brought together 50 individuals working on HIV services, health research or whom have been affected by HIV/AIDS. The event opening featured a welcome to the territory by the Lheidli T’enneh drummers, a keynote talk by Aboriginal health researcher Carrielynn Lund, and a networking reception. The conference included presentations of HIV research from northern BC, workshops geared at building capacity in community-based research (including discussions on peer involvement in research and arts-based methods), and sessions dedicated to identifying research gaps in the north, with the goal of developing a shared agenda for future research. The conference program is available for download here. Other supporters included the CIHR CBR Collaborative (a program of REACH) and the Aboriginal HIV/AIDS CBR Collaborative Centre.

Held in conjunction with CAHR Conference 2014, nearly 60 new researchers – ranging from Master’s to new researchers — from all research tracks attended this full day workshop. Chaired by Drs. Curtis Cooper (Ottawa Hospital) and Mathias Götte (McGill), sessions were led by leading Canadian HIV researchers and representatives from research funding organizations. CAHR extends its appreciation to the Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative Research and Development Alliance Coordinating Office for its generous support for this meeting. Please contact CAHR if you would like a copy of the full workshop report.

Twenty participants from across Canada attended this innovative and targeted workshop. Co-chaired by Carol Strike, Francisco Ibanez-Carrasco and Adrian Guta, those in attendance were instructed on collecting data using semi-structured interviews, participant observation and survey methods. For the first half of the day, participants selected from one of three sub-workshops: semi-structured interviews, participant observation or survey methods. For the afternoon, participants selected from two of three advanced topics in data collection – power and context; arts and technology; and/or sensitive data issues – related to community based data collection methods.

On March 16-18, 2014, HIV/HCV co-infection researchers attended the CAHR Mid-Career Level HIV Researcher Workshop, held in Banff, Alberta.  This workshop, which was open to HIV/HCV co-infection researchers with 3 to 12 years of experience, was co-chaired by CAHR Council members Drs. Curtis Cooper (Ottawa Hospital), Mathias Götte (McGill) and Carol Strike (University of Toronto).

Thanks to the generous support of the Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative Research and Development Alliance Coordinating Office, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR),  the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research (CANFAR) and the Public Health Agency of Canada, the meeting included such sessions as: how to be a good mentor; tips for being a journal editor; leadership; practical application of statistical analysis; applying for and managing research centres; how to succeed in the new CIHR funding structure; and preparing for tenure and promotion.  Additionally those in attendance were afforded the opportunity to network and interact with mentors from the HIV community and other research backgrounds.

For more information, you can request the full workshop report by emailing info@cahr-acrv.ca.

In partnership with the CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity and the Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative (CHVI) Research and Development Alliance Coordinating Office (ACO), CAHR held a new HIV researcher workshop at the Château Frontenac in Quebec City on February 7, 2014.

The goal of the workshop, as presided over by Dr. Mathieu Götte from the University of McGill and Dr. Michel Tremblay from Laval University, was to provide practical advice to students, trainees and other future HIV researchers. The workshop was well attended with 47 participants, which included several stakeholders from academic and pharmaceutical research. Please contact CAHR if you would like a copy of the full workshop report.

CAHR and partners hosted a HIV Community-Based Research (CBR) Partnership Development Workshop (November 14-15th, 2013) focusing on areas of interest in Canada’s north. The meeting was organized by the Canadian Association for HIV Research in partnership with the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the CIHR CBR Collaborative: A Program of REACH, and the CAAN Aboriginal HIV and AIDS (AHA) CBR Collaborative Centre. With a rising incidence of HIV (and other STBBI) in the North, workshop participants were selected from across this region and provided travel grants to attend the Toronto-based meeting. Presenters were selected from across Canada and were leaders in their respective fields of expertise. Evaluations of the meeting indicated that the goal of this workshop — to bring together all relevant partners to facilitate discussion, build partnerships, and set agendas for future HIV CBR in the North – was clearly met. Please contact CAHR if you would like a copy of the full workshop report.

This skills-based workshop was held in conjunction with the annual CAHR Conference 2013 and was designed to focus on all four CAHR research tracks (Basic Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Epidemiology and Public Health, Social Sciences). This meeting – held annually at the CAHR’s Conference – brought together over 50 graduate students, doctoral students, postdoctoral fellows, medical students/interns/ residents, trainees and other new HIV researchers. Following the workshop, an evening social was held so aspiring researchers could network with other new investigators in a fun and informal setting and to interact on a more personal level with mentors. As with previous workshops, the 2013 CAHR New HIV Researcher Workshop focused on all pillars of HIV research and included such sessions as: CIHR 101; Getting Funding for your Research; Grantscrafting; and Mentorship; and Career Development.

Members of community-based ASOs were encouraged to apply to this workshop series to develop the skills necessary for community-based research. Participants prepared their common CV, explored the CIHR CBR Review Process, developed research questions, considered various study design options, and built new skills. Over 25 participants attended the Feb 2013 CBR Workshop.

Over 50 participants attended the Fall Workshop.

Over 60 participants attended the 2012 CAHR New HIV Researcher Workshop 2012, held on April 19 in Montreal.