Virtual institute calls UVic home

by Joy Poliquin

L-r, Reading, Peters and Nowgesic

The university is home to a new research initiative—the institute of aboriginal peoples' health (IAPH).

It's one of 13 "virtual" institutes set up under the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), which provides more than $700 million in annual funding to its 13 national institutes. The institutes are not buildings or research centres, but networks of researchers brought together to focus on important health problems. Their virtual structure encourages partnerships and collaboration across sectors, disciplines and regions.

The mandate of the IAPH is to support research that addresses the special health needs of Canada's aboriginal people, says its scientific director, Dr. Jeff Reading.

"It's a well-documented fact that aboriginal peoples endure a profound gap in health status when compared to the general Canadian population," he says. "In my view, researchers have a moral obligation to work with the aboriginal community to effect positive changes that aim to improve health."

Reading, who will divide his time at UVic between his duties as scientific director and his work as a professor, headed the institute while it was housed at the University of Toronto. "We're the only institute of this kind in the world, and are happy to be at UVic, which has identified aboriginal issues as a priority with the development of the First Peoples House," he says.

The planned First Peoples House will provide aboriginal students, staff and faculty with a welcoming and inviting environment that respects their culture and values. It will also serve as a place for non-aboriginals to learn more about First Nations culture. Consultation on the house's preliminary design will begin soon.

Reading is also excited about the development of the Island Medical Program and hopes to integrate aboriginal interests into the evolution of the medical school.

"The university is located on Coast Salish territory and the senior administration has created an environment where the institute is truly welcomed," he says. "It's a place that is organic to developing relationships between researchers and the community."

Reading brings his colleague Earl Nowgesic of the Ojibway nation with him to UVic. They're joined by Jewel Peters of the Sto:lo First Nations, who has previously worked in the president's office at UVic.
"It's an exciting opportunity for the community to encourage aboriginal researchers to come forward," says Peters. "It's also a chance for the institute to establish relationships with tribes from across the country."

Reading and his team will process research proposals and ensure that projects are handled in an ethical manner. One project currently underway involves researchers from Canada, New Zealand and Australia, with funding from all three countries.
"Researchers are examining the factors that make aboriginal communities strong, with the goal to create a model for other communities to consider. Projects like these are a testament to the success of aboriginal health research."

The institute will be on campus until 2006, at which point it may move to another Canadian university. For more information on the CIHR and its institutes visit www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca.