Our Partners

Government of BC

VCHA is committed to supporting healthy lives in healthy communities with our partners through care, education and research. The Centre for Aging SMART at VCH evolved from a research unit that was developed within the research body of VCHA, known as the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute. One practical and strategic expression of this key partnership is represented by the location of the Centre on the campus of Vancouver General Hospital, the cornerstone research hospital in the province.

Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (VCHA)

As per VCHA, there is an active partnership between the Centre for Aging SMART at VCH and the Fraser Health Authority which is focused upon FHA’s falls and fracture prevention mandate.

Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI)

Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI), a world leader in translational health research, is the research body of Vancouver Coastal Health Authority. VCHRI includes three of BC’s largest academic and teaching health sciences centres—Vancouver General Hospital, UBC Hospital, and GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre — as well as many other hospitals and public health agencies across Vancouver Coastal Health. VCHRI is academically affiliated with UBC Faculty of Medicine and is one of Canada’s top funded research centres receiving between $80–100 million in research funding annually. Over 1,500 personnel are engaged in a variety of research centres, programs and evolving research areas.

Local Clinical and Not-for-Profit Involvements

The Centre for Aging SMART at VCH is committed to strong partnerships with caregivers in clinical and community-based practices. The Centre’s focus on knowledge translation links state-of-the-art bone and joint health research to guide prevention and health care practice in the most effective and timely manner. We also aim to work closely with advocacy and patient support organizations such as The Arthritis Society of Canada and the Osteoporosis Society of Canada.

Industry

The University of British Columbia (UBC)

The Centre for Aging SMART at VCH is a UBC Senate-approved centre and is strongly aligned with UBC’s vision, values and goals. The practical integration of the Centre for Aging SMART at VCH with the priorities of the Faculty of Medicine is particularly key to the operation of the Centre. Our investigators span 10 departments within the Faculty of Medicine; including a central relationship with the Department of Orthopaedics. The Centre's priorities also align with those of the Faculty of Applied Science (Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering and Bioengineering). Centre Membership also extends to the Faculty of Arts (Psychology and Sociology) and the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Fraser Health Authority (FHA)

Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)

In partnership with the MHLS and PHAC the Centre of Excellence on Mobility, Fall Prevention and Injury in Aging (CEMFIA) was formed under the auspices of the Centre for Aging SMART at VCH. CEMFIA represents one knowledge translation arm of Centre and is comprised of a partnership between researchers, healthcare providers and policy makers. CEMFIA is unique worldwide as it represents a continuum whereby relevant problems are identified by end-users, addressed by researchers in partnership with end-users and translated back into the community so that mobility and the quality of life of seniors is improved.

Funding Agencies

Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)
BC Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF)
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR)
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
Vancouver Foundation, and Workers' Compensation Board of BC

The Centre for Aging SMART at VCH investigators use integrative, comprehensive and multidisciplinary approaches to investigate bone and joint health. Ongoing research initiatives are currently or have previously been funded through all of the agencies listed above.