Biography Image
Bob Bortolussi MD, FRCPC
Principal Investigator

Robert Bortolussi is Professor of Pediatrics and Microbiology and Immunology at Dalhousie University. Bob is a Paediatric Infectious Diseases specialist and consultant at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax. Bob joined Dalhousie University in 1978 after clinical and research training in Montreal, Toronto and Minnesota. He received research grants from the Medical Research Council of Canada, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) continuously from 1979 until 2001 and was awarded the Sanofi Pasteur Research Award of the Canadian Paediatric Society in 2005 for his research on the development of innate immunity in the newborn.  Bob has published over 100 original articles and book chapters on infection and newborn host defence. Bob was Chief of Research and Vice President of Research at the IWK Health Centre from 1992 until 2007 where he helped to develop this Centre’s research program to national prominence leading to construction of the $20 million “Goldbloom Research Pavilion” which doubled the research space at the IWK.

Bob’s main academic interest now focuses on nurturing clinician scientists to a successful career. To aid in this process, Bob developed the interdisciplinary problem based curriculum for the CIHR training program, the Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientists Program (CCHCSP). The curriculum is now used in 17 Universities across Canada and by clinician scientist groups in Europe, Africa and China. In 2008, he edited a book, “The Handbook for Clinician Scientists” as a reference source for clinician scientists and supplement to the CCHCSP curriculum. Bob also directs Dalhousie’s Clinical Investigator program (CIP) for the Faculty of Medicine.

Training & Knowledge Translation

PCIRN Awards
 

 
Please welcome the seven recipients of the PCIRN awards for their research project proposals on influenza vaccination.
 
Alexander Borda-Rodriguez will conduct a qualitative study on health care worker and labour union attitudes in Nova Scotia towards voluntary and mandatory vaccination of influenza as part of his PCIRN grant and post doc fellowship at Dalhousie University.
 
Ying Guo will analyze data to identify risk factors for severe influenza in pregnancy and its effects on birth outcomes as part of her PCIRN scholarship and masters at the University of Toronto.
 
Stephanie Brien will conduct a cross-sectional study to measure the determinants of pandemic vaccine coverage in Montreal to improve policy decisions for future influenza pandemics as part of her PCIRN scholarship and masters at McGill University.
 
Po-Po Lam will conduct an implementation research project to determine a knowledge translation strategy to improve maternal immunization rates by examining barriers and beliefs among pregnant women and health care providers as part of her PCIRN scholarship and PhD at the University of Toronto.
 
Jennie Johnstone will conduct a pilot study on immunosenescene (changes in the immune system with age) using descriptive statistics to understand if a correlation exists with influenza that warrants a larger scale experimental study as part of her PCIRN scholarship and PhD at McMaster University.
 
Shawn O'Donovan will conduct a systematic review of current standards and guidelines governing nursing vaccination in the Nunavut and Yukon Territories and then write a policy review report as part of her PCIRN scholarship and masters at Dalhousie University.
 
Mario Andres Pizzorno will study the processes underlying influenza genetic variability and antiviral resistance to develop novel preventative and therapeutic modalities against emerging viruses as part of his PCIRN scholarship and masters at Laval University.
 

 

 

Training & Research Objective


Curriculum
The objective of PCIRN’s core educational curriculum is to impart to trainees the essential skills to allow them to work competently and supportively in an interdisciplinary research network. The next generation of vaccine researchers must learn to adapt to challenges and understand a variety of skills beyond their own specialized background. To accomplish this, we will develop a PCIRN core curriculum that will enhance interdisciplinary interaction and prepare them for real life career challenges while allowing trainees the time needed to develop specialized research skills.

Specific aims
The PCIRN core curriculum will be conducted in an interdisciplinary problem-based learning (PBL) environment, with an emphasis on acquiring familiarity with issues that are often overlooked in specialized research programs.

     

  1. Enhance collaborative team research: The core curriculum will educate trainees in the practice of team research (as compared to individually-led research) and foster interdisciplinary interactions among trainees, mentors and institutional leaders.
     
  2. Develop core competencies in immunization, research ethics/integrity, knowledge translation and professional skills: We will introduce a core curriculum to include core skills on immunization competency, ethics, integrity, management, commercialization, technology transfer, communication, and knowledge translation into practice and health policy.


Knowledge Translation


Knowledge translation (KT), defined by CIHR as “a dynamic and iterative process that includes the synthesis, dissemination, exchange and ethically sound application of knowledge”, is needed to translate discoveries into every day practice. Knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviour (KAB) research is also needed to understand the needs of policy makers, providers and the community. Given the need for a rapid public health response during a pandemic, it will be especially important for a wide community of researchers and decision makers to become part of the PCIRN KT/KAB process and to help assess its effectiveness.

Specific aims
The PCIRN KT and KAB initiative has several objectives:

  1. Establish a PCIRN Training/KT Support Group, to advise and provide leadership for KT and KAB opportunities.
     
  2. Test the effectiveness of our KT/KAB process, by engaging pandemic planners, PCIRN researchers, trainees and public interest groups in a review of the H1N1 pandemic. This exercise will assess how data generated by PCIRN was applied in the pandemic. Participants will evaluate the value of the information to satisfy their needs during the pandemic setting.