Three summer students receive funding from The Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging and UBC Faculty of Medicine to conduct aging-related research projects
The UBC Faculty of Medicine Summer Student Research Program provides undergraduate students with an opportunity to explore their interest in health research by undertaking a summer project supervised by a Faculty of Medicine researcher. This year, the Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging is pleased to partner with the Faculty of Medicine to co-fund awards to allow undergraduates to conduct a research project on a topic related to aging and health across the life course. These awards will provide undergraduate students, both Bachelor’s and Medical Degree students, with research experience and knowledge on the determinants of healthy aging. See below for a description of the funded students and their projects.
Project: Effects of Postnatal Infection and Chronic Lung Disease on Brain Development and Long-term Outcomes in Preterm Newborns
Student: Caroline Kim, MD Student
Supervisor: Dr. Steven Miller, Department of Pediatrics
Summary: Caroline’s project will focus on the effects of postnatal infection and chronic lung disease (CLD) on brain development in the early life of children born preterm. Previous research shows that postnatal infection and CLD are robust predictors of abnormal brain development with consequences lasting throughout the life course. Caroline will use data collected from a prospective cohort of children born 24-32 weeks gestational age cared for at BC Children’s & Women’s Hospital in Vancouver that has been assessed longitudinally from birth through 8-years of age. Results from this project will guide clinical practices in the prevention and treatment of postnatal infection and CLD, as well as identification of high-risk newborns for follow-up care into school-age.
Project: Comparing Prevalence of Polypharmacy and Rates of Comorbidity Treatment among Women Living with HIV and HIV-negative Women in the BC CARMA CHIWOS Collaborations (BCC3) Study
Student: Stella Fang, MD Student
Supervisor: Dr. Melanie Murray, Department of Medicine
Summary: People living with HIV are experiencing increased life expectancy due to the success of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). However, prior research show that women living with HIV (WLWH) acquire more comorbidity diagnoses earlier and have shorter life expectancy compared to men living with HIV and HIV-negative women. Higher comorbidity burden can result in higher numbers of prescribed medications, increasing the risk of polypharmacy in WLWH. The British Columbia CARMA-CHIWOS Collaboration (BCC3) Study is a community-based prospective cohort study of healthy aging that takes a holistic approach, exploring clinical, biological, and social determinants of health in WLWH. Stella’s project will analyze survey data from the BCC3 study to explore the rates of comorbidity treatment and polypharmacy among WLWH compared to HIV-negative women. They will also explore possible predictors that can influence results such as age, income status, rural vs urban areas of living etc.
Project: Co-creating Knowledge Mobilization Products for Social Prescribing
Student: Hadil Afares, Bachelor’s Student
Supervisor: Dr. Maureen Ashe, Department of Family Practice
Summary: Social prescribing is a health and social model of care publicly funded in some global locations, such as the United Kingdom, and starting to emerge in Canada. It aims to integrate care through connecting and creating pathways to community-based resources to (i) improve a person’s overall well-being, and (ii) shift resources for unmet social needs to the community. The Ashe lab is developing a social prescribing research program, and the aim for Hadil’s project is to use the knowledge from their research to create new products (such as videos, map, blog) to describe social prescribing from different user perspectives. The new informational products will be used within their knowledge mobilization strategies (eCourse and website).