On World Cancer Research Day, we’re thankful for and celebrate the Atlantic PATH & CanPath team, researchers and participants who make this important work possible. Watch this space to see cancer research using data and biological samples from Atlantnic PATH. https://www.atlanticpath.ca/
Join the Maritime SPOR Support Unit to learn about accessing data administrative health data with Health Data Nova Scotia and the New Brunswick Institute for Research, Data and Training, including linked data sources from Atlantic PATH and the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging! Thursday, Oct 17th, 12-1pm AST Registration: https://t.co/r8r6KevJht
Authors: Maartje Basten, Lonneke A van Tuijl, Kuan-Yu Pan, Adriaan W Hoogendoorn, Femke Lamers, Adelita V Ranchor, Joost Dekker, Philipp Frank, Henrike Galenkamp, Mirjam J Knol, Nolwenn Noisel, Yves Payette, Erik R Sund, Aeilko H Zwinderman, Lützen Portengen, Mirjam I Geerlings Journal: American Journal of Epidemiology Abstract: Individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis provides important opportunities to study interaction and effect modification for which individual studies often lack power. While previous meta-analyses have commonly focused on multiplicative interaction, additive interaction holds greater relevance for public health and may in certain contexts better reflect biological interaction. Methodological literature on interaction in IPD meta-analysis does not cover additive interaction for models including binary or time-to-event outcomes. We aimed to describe how the Relative Excess Risk due to Interaction (RERI) and other measures of additive interaction or effect modification can be validly estimated within two-stage IPD meta-analysis. First, we explain why direct pooling of study-level RERI estimates may lead to invalid results. Next, we propose a three-step procedure to estimate additive interaction: 1) estimate effects of both exposures and their product term on the outcome within each individual study; 2) pool study-specific estimates using multivariate meta-analysis; 3) estimate an overall RERI and 95% confidence interval based on the pooled effect estimates. We illustrate this procedure by investigating interaction between depression and smoking and risk of smoking-related cancers using data from the PSYchosocial factors and Cancer (PSY-CA) consortium. We discuss implications of this procedure, including the application in meta-analysis based on published data. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwae325
Webinar: Lung Cancer Screening Initiatives by G7 Cancer Dr. Jennifer Brooks, Executive Director of CanPath, is actively involved in research focused on cancer prevention and early detection. In addition to her role at CanPath, Dr. Brooks contributes to the G7 Cancer working group, which addresses cancer prevention and early detection on an international scale. Interested in the latest developments in lung cancer screening? Register here for their upcoming webinar on lung cancer screening protocols across the G7 countries: https://lnkd.in/diUYQ-gh ?️ October 10, 2024 ? 8:00 am EST/9:00 am AST
Webinar: Genomic and environmental influences on Canadian health phenotypes and chronic disease outcomes When? July 18, 2024, 2pmEST/3pmAST Register: https://bit.ly/3XU9Jws In this talk, Drs. Philip Awadalla and Marie-Julie Favé describe the intricate interplay between genetic and environmental factors and their influence on chronic diseases and phenotypes, utilizing data from CanPath, Canada’s largest population health cohort. By integrating genomic, environmental, and lifestyle data, Drs. Awadalla and Favé uncover how gene-environment interactions shape health outcomes. These findings provide insights into disease mechanisms and potential interventions, highlighting the importance of large and deep population cohort data. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics that contribute to chronic disease development and the critical role of comprehensive population health studies in identifying at-risk populations and individuals, supporting both personalized and public health strategies.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Wednesday, June 5, 2024 Predicting chronic disease enabled by New Brunswick and Nova Scotia data linkage Predicting chronic disease has gotten faster and simpler with the linkage of data gathered from a longitudinal study involving over 34,000 participants and administrative health data routinely gathered by New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. A collaboration between the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health (Atlantic PATH) and New Brunswick Institute for Research, Data & Training (NB-IRDT), and Health Data Nova Scotia (HDNS) is an important opportunity for advancing health research. “I am absolutely thrilled to see these linkages happen,” said Dr. Robin Urquhart, Atlantic PATH Scientific Director. “Atlantic PATH is an incredibly rich resource to understand the health of Atlantic Canadians and all of the different factors, like our biology, behaviours, and environments, that impact our health. This new linkage activity makes our resource more powerful, giving us access to different sources of data to answer complex health questions affecting all Atlantic Canadians.” Atlantic PATH follows the health of participants from all four Atlantic Canadian provinces to help researchers discover why some people develop certain chronic diseases and cancers and others don’t in order to advance prevention and early diagnosis. Atlantic PATH is part of the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health (CanPath), a pan-Canadian, longitudinal cohort studying Canadians’ health, behaviours and environments. “Not only is this historical, record-level data linkage activity, this work is crucial for Atlantic Canada, which has among the country’s highest rates of chronic disease and cancer,” said Dr. Ted McDonald, director of NB-IRDT. “Critically, it will enable researchers to focus on studies related to cancer and chronic disease that cannot be undertaken without linking the separate data sources. The data linkage has other important implications too, such as the potential to inform health policy and improve detection, prevention and treatment.” Based at the University of New Brunswick, NB-IRDT provides researchers with secure access to pseudonymized personal level administrative data and conducts research on policy topics to support evidence informed government decision-making. NB-IRDT is a member of Health Data Research Network Canada, a pan-Canadian network of data centres and research organizations. HDRN Canada facilitates access to multi-regional administrative data to address health challenges that cross boundaries and foster improvements in health and health equity. Within the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology at Dalhousie University, HDNS facilitates research and innovation in Nova Scotia by providing access to linkable administrative health data and analysis for research purposes in a remote, secure, controlled environment. HDNS is also a member of HDRN Canada. “This is an exciting opportunity for researchers across the Maritimes,” said Dr. Sam Stewart, director of HDNS. “Research cohorts like Atlantic PATH take a tremendous amount of work to collect, so it is paramount that we do everything we can to make that data as effective as possible. Linking Atlantic PATH data to the data resources at HDNS and NB-IRDT will enable researchers to discover key, long-term insights into the health of Canadians, and signal an important step forward in how research data can be leveraged and enhanced within the healthcare system.” “This is an exciting development, as this linkage includes data from participants in two provinces, so it is already multi-regional in nature,” said Dr. Kim McGrail, HDRN Canada Scientific Director. “It also builds on linkage of other regional CanPath cohorts across Canada, creating many new research opportunities that can help us to better understand chronic disease and how to prevent them.” New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are the first Atlantic Canadian provinces to link to Atlantic PATH, the result of a long and deliberate collaboration involving HDRN Canada, Atlantic PATH, CanPath, and administrative data holders in the four Atlantic provinces. Since the transfer of Atlantic PATH baseline data holdings to NB-IRDT and HDNS, researchers can now apply to link Atlantic PATH data to provincial administrative data holdings, such as screenings, hospitalizations, medication use, health outcomes and more. View the NB data holdings here View the NS data holdings here. MEDIA CONTACT: Dr. Kate Milberry Strategic Communications Manager HDRN Canada kate.milberry@hdrn.ca 604.306.1512
June 1st was National Health and Fitness Day! ? It is important to recognize the importance of maintaining the health of our communities and the vital role of regular physical activity among Canadians. CanPath and our regional cohorts strive to advance research that promotes healthy living and well-being for everyone. Check out these interesting findings based on research conducted with Atlantic PATH cohort data, focusing primarily on the relationship between multimorbidity and physical activity. Together, we can build a healthier, more active, and fit future! ?
2025 Terry Fox New Frontiers Program Project Grants Competition **Atlantic PATH and CanPath can help to support relevant funding applications** The Terry Fox Research Institute has launched its New Frontiers Program Project Grants. These programs support Canadian research teams exploring new frontiers in cancer research (i.e., breakthrough and transformative biomedical, clinical and translational research which may form the basis for innovative cancer prevention, diagnosis and/or treatment). Purpose To support multidisciplinary program projects of excellence that contribute to important topics of relevance to cancer research. The goal of the Terry Fox New Frontiers Program Project Grants is to discover and explore new knowledge with the potential to transform cancer diagnosis, treatment and/or understanding of cancer biology. Secondary goals are: High-quality research that addresses an important cancer topic that is best approached through collaborative teams Innovative and high-risk projects of large impact, for which the group research environment will maximize the chance of success. As part of the revised funding envelope for the competitions going forward, TFRI will look favorably upon applications which incorporate high risk/high reward strategies or research plans. Leveraging of cutting-edge technologies that builds synergistic collaborations, and An innovative and supportive training environment for the next generation of cancer researchers. Key Deadlines: Letters of Intent are due Monday, July 8. If invited to submit a full application, full applications are due November 18. The letter of intent includes: Scientific Abstract (1 page) Overall Description of the Application (5 pages) Program Background (3 pages) Individual Projects (2 pages each) Core technology platforms High-level budget and short justification Suggested reviewers and those to exclude Keywords CV’s for all applicants (Project lead, principal investigators, co-investigators) New applications can apply for a three, four or five year grant term with a total budget of up to $2.4M. https://www.tfri.ca/funding-opportunities/funding-programs/program/new-frontiers-program-project-grants-(ppg)
Authors: Vanessa DeClercq, Robyn J. Wright, Jacob Nearing, and Morgan G.I. Langille Journal: Scientific Reports Abstract: This study aimed to assess the association between the oral microbiome, age, and frailty. Data and saliva samples were obtained from male and female participants aged 35–70 years (n = 1357). Saliva samples were analysed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and differences in microbial diversity and community compositions were examined in relation to chronological age and the frailty index (FI). Most alpha diversity measures (Richness, Shannon Diversity, Faith’s Phylogenetic Diversity) showed an inverse association with frailty, whereas a positive association was observed with age and Shannon Diversity and Evenness. A further sex-stratified analysis revealed differences in measures of microbial diversity and composition. Multiple genera were detected as significantly differentially abundant with increasing frailty and age by at least two methods. With age, the relative abundance of Veillonella was reduced in both males and females, whereas increases in Corynebacterium appeared specific to males and Aggregatibacter, Fusobacterium, Neisseria, Stomatobaculum, and Porphyromonas specific to females. Beta diversity was significantly associated with multiple mental health components of the FI. This study shows age and frailty are differentially associated with measures of microbial diversity and composition, suggesting the oral microbiome may be a useful indicator of increased risk of frailty or a potential target for improving health in ageing adults. doi: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-60409-8
Congratulations to Dr. Vanessa DeClercq, Dr. Robyn Wright, Dr. Jacob Nearing, and Dr. Morgan Langille on their latest publication, “Oral Microbial Signatures Associated with Age and Frailty in Canadian Adults” (Scientific Reports, 14). This research from the Langille Lab used biological samples and data from Atlantic PATH. It examined the association between the oral microbiome, age and frailty and found that “age and frailty are differentially associated with measures of microbial diversity and composition, suggesting the oral microbiome may be a useful indicator of increased risk of frailty or a potential target for improving health in ageing adults.” Read more about this research: https://bit.ly/3Qx2vKe