Investment will provide training and development opportunities for trainees and early career researchers that go beyond what standard research training programs usually offer
March 31, 2022 - Ottawa, Ontario - Canadian Institutes of Health Research
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown just how much Canada relies on its scientists to respond to and recover from health emergencies. To strengthen our recovery and find made-in-Canada solutions to the next health and societal challenges, it's critical that we invest in the next generation of Canada's health researchers.
That's why today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, and the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, announced an investment of $31.1M over six years for the Health Research Training Platform (HRTP).
The HRTP is comprised of 13 unique training programs that bring together researchers from different hospitals and universities, with a view to increase Canada's capacity to conduct research on specific disease areas and health challenges. This will help trainees and early career researchers develop skills that will increase their employability and set them up for success in careers that span academia and beyond.
Participants will have access to diverse, high-quality mentors and training that builds their academic and professional development skills, such as in grant writing, project management, science communication, interdisciplinary research, open science, and knowledge mobilization.
These interdisciplinary training programs will help advance scientific knowledge on topics ranging from dementia, kidney disease, diabetes and obesity, seniors' health, girls' and women's health, and the mental health of 2SLGBTQ+ populations, among others.
Participants will be trained in the science of conducting diverse and inclusive research, such as respecting Indigenous Ways of Knowing, incorporating sex- and gender-based considerations in research, and recognizing unconscious bias.
The Government of Canada is supporting this initiative through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Public Health Agency of Canada in partnership with the B.C. Women's Health Foundation, Egale Canada, and Mitacs.
