The University Hospital of Northern British Columbia is home to a new centre dedicated to clinical and biomedical research.
The Northern Centre for Clinical Research (NCCR) "will work closely with northern and Indigenous health practitioners, patients and researchers towards a goal of better health outcomes,” B.C. Minister of Health Adrian Dix said in a press release issued Tuesday.
The centre, which opened this spring, conducts clinical trials and observational studies, officials said in the release.
Clinical trials help find the best options for patient care by studying the safety and effectiveness of new medical interventions, like a drug or medical device.
In observational studies, researchers study participants receiving routine medical care to deepen understanding of health and disease and identify opportunities to improve health delivery.
The centre operates in collaboration between the University of Northern British Columbia, the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine, and Northern Health. Satellite centres across northern B.C. could also be in the cards, officials said.
“We have a small but well-established group of health researchers in the north who are connected by rural interest and context, and this new centre will provide immeasurable opportunities for collaboration, networking and idea development,” said Dr. Kathy Lewis, UNBC's interim vice-president of research and innovation.
The centre also offers research training opportunities and mentoring for students, healthcare workers, and up-and-coming health investigators and help with research design, regulatory approvals, and project administration.
It also hosts a Rural Coordination Centre of B.C. research associate focused on real-time virtual support for clinicians working in rural communities.
