Using CanPath to Support Innovative Health Research Join our colleagues, Dr. Parveen Bhatti (Scientific Director, BC Generations) and Sheraz Cheema (Data Manager, CanPath) on Wednesday, October 11th to learn about CanPath, types of questions the data can be used to address, and how the data can be accessed. Registration: https://t.co/m8PU92M881
CanPath has released its Fall 2023 newsletter! You can see updates from CanPath and its regional cohorts: CanPath News September 2023 – Nouvelles CanPath septembre 2023 (mailchi.mp). Updates from Atlantic PATH include: Attending and presenting at the Canadian Society for Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CSEB) Conference held in Halifax in June 2023. CanPath joining the COVID Global Mental Health Consortium that includes 23 international population health cohorts with more than 2.8 million participants! Researchers will work to address critical knowledge gaps related to the impact of policy, psychological and social factors on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.”This is an excellent opportunity for CanPath to be involved in such a large international mental health collective,” says Dr. Ellen Sweeney, Director of Research at Atlantic PATH. “We’re very fortunate to have engaged and enthusiastic participants from our regional cohorts, and more than 100,000 participants provided questionnaire data during the COVID-19 pandemic. The work of the COVID Global Mental Health Consortium will be impactful, and we’re thrilled to participate and contribute to this important research.” Atlantic PATH will lead and represent CanPath in this consortium, with analyses for CanPath being conducted in-house by Atlantic PATH’s Data Analyst, Yunsong Cui. Regional updates including three new publications Congratulations to Dr. Lonneke van Tuijl, Dr. Joost Dekker and team on their new publication with the first results from the Psychosocial Factors and Cancer Incidence (PSY-CA) consortium. This study includes 18 cohorts with more than 300,000 participants, including Atlantic PATH, the Ontario Health Study and CARTaGENE. Congratulations to Dr. Ivan Litvinov, Dr. François Lagacé and the team at McGill University on their new publication from the SunFit project. This study included Atlantic PATH participants and considered why Atlantic Canadians are at higher risk for developing melanoma. Congratulations to Kalli Hood and the team at Dalhousie University on their new publication. Kalli’s Master’s research found an association between a history of cancer and arsenic speciation/metallome exposure in the Atlantic PATH cohort. This work is part of its larger focus on environmental exposure and cancer risk and the use of toenails as an important biomarker.
CanPath and its regional cohorts, including Atlantic PATH, are proud to be part of the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) Databank with our COVID-19 serology study that includes participants across the country. The CITF Databank data holdings include data from 21 studies, including six multi-province studies “representing a wide range of population and community data from various regions of Canada. Access is free and open to researchers everywhere.” Details: https://www.covid19immunitytaskforce.ca/citf-databank/
The Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) has interviewed our colleague, Dr. Kimberly Skead as part of Science Literacy Week. Dr. Skead answers a question about how blood changes as we age and implications for the prediction, detection and diagnosis of cancer. Credit: Ontario Institute for Cancer Research: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMB79lFBSqs) You can find the Ask a Cancer Researcher series on the OICR YouTube page:
Join CanPath for an upcoming webinar from CanPath’s incoming Executive Director, Dr. Jennifer Brooks entitled, “Empowering Breast Health: Personalized Approaches to Canadian Breast Cancer Screening” on Thursday, October 19th from 12-1pmEST/1-2pmAST. Details and registration info: https://canpath.ca/2023/09/webinar-breast-cancer-screening-brooks/
Dr. John McLaughlin is retiring as CanPath Executive Director and has been awarded Professor Emeritus status at the University of Toronto, while Dr. Jennifer Brooks will assume the role starting October 2, 2023. It has been a true pleasure for our Atlantic PATH team members to work with Dr. McLaughlin. He will be missed and we wish him all the best in the future. We are looking forward to working with Dr. Brooks as they step into their new role as CanPath Executive Director. Read the full release from CanPath: https://canpath.ca/2023/09/dr-mclaughlin-executive-director-retires-welcomes-dr-brooks/
Join the CanPath team as the new Research Operations Manager at the University of Toronto. Deadline: September 22, 2023. “CanPath is Canada’s largest population health cohort and a national platform for population-level health research. CanPath is studying the biology, behaviours and environments of Canadians to learn more about the causes of chronic disease and cancer for the good of our country and people around the world. As the CanPath Research Operations Manager, you will be integral to maximizing research funding, which includes conducting detailed analysis and applying and interpreting relevant policies. You will be responsible for directing the activities of a group of staff and therefore will be working together to drive CanPath’s objectives. Using your analytical, communication and problem-solving skills, you will support and collaborate with a diverse set of stakeholders and partners in applying and interpreting policies and procedures, policy issues, and drafting contracts and agreements.” Details: https://jobs.utoronto.ca/job/Toronto-CanPath-Research-Operations-Manager-ON/573838317/
Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (AGBT) is “considered the preeminent genome science and technology conference where top global researchers, leaders and innovators meet to announce new discoveries, cutting edge breakthroughs and to collaborate.” CanPath Scientific Director, Dr. Philip Awadalla attended the AGBT Precision Health meeting in San Diego, California from September 7-9, 2023. Dr. Awadalla was a panelist speaking about The Great Debate, Genetics, Environment, and Health, alongside Dr. Gary Miller (Columbia University) and Dr. Alison Motsinger-Reif (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences).
We are looking forward to attend our colleague, Dr. Kelvin Fong’s presentation in the Dalhousie University Department of Community Health and Epidemiology‘s Seminar Series on September 13th at 12pm AST (11am EST). Dr. Fong’s presentation is entitled, “How does the Environment Contribute to Health in Atlantic Canada?” Dr. Fong is an assistant professor at Dalhousie University in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and cross-appointed in Community Health and Epidemiology. In 2022, they established the Laboratory for Environmental Assessment and Population Health (LEAPH), which focuses on environmental health disparities. For more information, including how to attend the seminar, please refer to: https://events.dal.ca/event/2364-champe-seminar-series.
New work from Dr. Ivan Litvinov and Dr. François Lagacé at McGill University includes Atlantic PATH participants and highlights why Atlantic Canadians are at higher risk for developing melanoma (skin cancer). The SunFit project conducted focus groups in 22 communities across Atlantic Canada. Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island have the highest rates of melanoma in the country, while rates in New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador are in line with the Canadian average. The team compared UV exposure and relevant behavioural factors and found that higher-income participants had an increased risk, but that participants with a lower income were more likely to work outdoors and experience occupational sun exposure which increases their risk of developing melanoma. Further, females had less sun exposure and higher rates of sunscreen use compared to males. Additional information: Dr. Litvinov was interviewed on CBC’s Maritime Noon. “N.S. and P.E.I. have higher rats of skin cancer than national average. Here’s why.” August 22, 2023. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/maritimes-skin-cancer-national-average-1.6943582?cmp=rss) McGill University News Room. “Why men, wealthy people and maritime residents are more likely to develop skin cancer.” August 22, 2023. https://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels/news/why-men-wealthy-people-and-maritime-residents-are-more-likely-develop-skin-cancer-349697 Chronicle Herald article. “Dermatologist probes skin cancer rates.” September 7, 2023. https://saltwire.pressreader.com/article/281552295441450