The Pacific Institute on Pathogens, Pandemics and Society

PIPPS framework

Three core functions provide a framework for PIPPS’ early development. The first, the Science and Research core function, includes four research themes reflecting the Institute’s initial strategic research priorities. Additional research themes will be added over time based on consultation with partners and stakeholders. The three initial research themes are as follows:

1. Health and social inequities: to identify health and social inequities and assist in identifying promising policy approaches to prevent or reduce the risk of social and economic inequities in future pandemics.
   Lead: Dr. Julia Smith, SFU
2. Emerging and evolving pathogens: to better understand the evolving nature of pathogens and the potential for future infectious disease threats in B.C.
   Lead: Dr. Ben Ashby, SFU
3. Analytics and data science: to identify emerging pathogens and infectious disease threats and estimate the speed of a new potential pandemic.
   Lead: Dr. Jessica Stockdale, SFU

The Convening and Capacity Building core function focuses on building, strengthening and supporting pathogen and pandemic-related research capacity within PIPPS and across British Columbia. Major strategies include postgraduate specialized training, fellowships and internships, multi-institution professional opportunities, and establishment of Research Affiliates and Research Collaborators.

The Engaging and Disseminating core function aims to develop non-researcher understanding of pathogen and pandemic-related science and research to strengthen population resiliency in future infectious disease events. Major strategies include optimizing the translation of research findings to policy and practice, encouraging the application of research findings across the public domain, and supporting science-based knowledge translation and public education activities.

Join us

We have upcoming openings for lead researchers, postdoctoral fellows and research assistants. We will also be establishing an affiliate researchers program which will include our colleagues in B.C.'s Health Authorities and related organizations.

Future opportunities to join our team will be posted here. 

Funding and grants

PIPPS researchers have received prestigious grants to support their work on pandemics and pathogens.

• Canadian Network for Modelling Infectious Diseases (CANMOD). Caroline Colijn (Principal Investigator), 2021-2024, NSERC, C2,500,000.
• Governing the global antimicrobial commons in a sustainable, acceptable, fair and effective (SAFE) manner. Kelley Lee (Co-Applicant with Nominated Principal Investigator Steven Hoffman et al.), 2022-2027, SSHRCC Partnership Grant, C$2,499,993.
• Mathematics for Infection, Evolution and Public Health. Caroline Colijn, Canada 150 Research Chair, 2018-2025, C2,000,000.
• Developing social connection guidelines to help Canadians build happier, healthier, and more inclusive communities in the late pandemic period. Kiffer Card (with collaborators from the PHAC, non-profit sector, and other Canadian researchers), 2022-2026, CIHR, C$761,000.
• Advancing methods and analyses to support evidence-informed decision-making on the coordinated use of travel-related measures during public health emergencies of international concern:  Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. Kelley Lee (with Principal Applicants William Hsiao, Caroline Colijn; Co-Applicants Julia Smith, Eric Werker, Beate Sander, Zohaib Anwar), 2021-2023, CIHR Project Grant, C$646,424.
• Understanding, recovering from, and mitigating inequities associated with the use of travel measures during the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons for post-pandemic recovery and future preparedness from Canada-US border management. Kelley Lee (with Laurie Trautman, Julia Smith, Anne-Marie Nicol, Julianne Piper, Jennifer Fang, Alice Murage, Salta Zhumatova), New Frontiers in Research Fund Special Call, C$500,000.
• Towards transformative pandemic response, recovery, and preparedness: An intersectional gender analysis of the secondary effects of COVID-19 on women and healthcare providers. Julia Smith, Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar Award, C$450,000.
• Addressing the wider health impacts of COVID-19. Standing together: Strength, resilience and Indigenous leadership as the pathway to pandemic responses. Kelley Lee (Co-Applicant with Principal Investigator Shannon McDonald; with Julianne Piper and Jennifer Fang), 2022-2024, CIHR Operating Grant, C$341,752.
• Microbial evolution along the parasitism-mutualism continuum. Ben Ashby, 2022-2027, NSERC Discovery Grant, C$202,500.
• Advancing equity-based pandemic preparedness through intersectional analysis. Julia Smith (with Co-Investigator Alice Mũrage), 2022-2023, CIHR Catalyst Grant: Transforming Public Health, C$94,000.
• Building social media communications capacity for public health emergency response and preparedness in British Columbia. Kaylee Byers (with Co-Investigator Anne-Marie Nicol), 2022-2023, CIHR Planning and Dissemination Grants - Institute Community Support, C$24,662.
• Standing together: Strength, resilience, and Indigenous leadership as the pathway to pandemic responses. Kelley Lee (Co-applicant with Principal Investigator Shannon McDonald), 2021-2022, World Health Organization, US$20,185.
• The COVID-19 pandemic and commercial determinants of health: A Briefing Paper. Kelley Lee, 2021-2022, World Health Organization, US$20,185.  
• Catalyzing global collective action on antimicrobial resistance. Kelley Lee (Co-Applicant with Nominated Principal Investigator Steven Hoffman et al.), 2021-2022, SSHRCC Partnership Development Grant, C$20,000. 
• Resolving the primary and secondary effects of post-COVID syndrome to identify coping and management strategies for British Columbians. Kiffer Card (with Co-Investigators Anne-Marie Nicol, Kaylee Byers, Julia Smith), PHSA Post-COVID Interdisciplinary Clinical Care Network, C$15,000.
• Cultivating capacity for social media communications by government and allied government agencies in British Columbia. Anne-Marie Nicol (with Co-Investigator Kaylee Byers), 2022-2023, SFU/SSHRC Small Explore Grant, C$6,931.96.
• Navigating Long COVID: Co-creating research priorities to understand and address the information needs of unpaid care providers in British Columbia. Kaylee Byers, with Family Caregivers of BC and PC-ICCN, 2022-2023, MSHR BC C2 Convening and Collaborating Grant. C$15,000.

Stay updated

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