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SDG 3 - Strategic Initiatives

Western is committed to collaborations with health institutions locally, nationally, and globally.

Local

• Lawson Research Institute: One of Canada’s premier health research institutes, working with regional hospital networks to advance health research.  
• Centre for Translational Cancer Research: Links researchers with academic clinicians to share findings with regional partners, including family physicians and community hospitals. 
• Thinking Globally, Acting Locally: One team is surveying healthcare workers at 14 southwestern Ontario hospitals to spot gaps in knowledge, training, and cultural sensitivity when it comes to treating Indigenous patients. 
• Western Research Hub for Physical Activity and Health: Created an online platform for individuals with chronic health conditions, supported by the Community Advisory Council. 
• Dental Health Clinic: In partnership with Oxford County Community Health Centre, the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry provides dental services to under-served individuals without dental benefits. 
• Ontario’s COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance initiative: Western partners in early detection of virus trends to mitigate outbreaks and inform decisions made by Public Health Ontario. 
• Shelter Health Initiative: The Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry collaborates with the City of Windsor, Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare, and the Canadian Mental Health Association — Windsor Essex Branch to provide same-day episodic medical care to the city’s homeless population. 
• London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC): One of Canada’s largest research-intensive acute care teaching hospitals. It collaborates with a range of local and regional research and charitable organizations to advance the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and management of numerous diseases and health conditions.

National

• Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing: The School partnered with universities across Canada to create iHeal, a free, bilingual app for women experiencing intimate partner violence, focusing on health and well-being. 
• National Centre for Audiology: The Centre is Canada’s largest research and teaching facility dedicated to hearing, advancing research in the diagnosis and treatment of hearing disorders.  
• Robarts Research Institute: A national leader in biological, clinical, and imaging research, investigating diseases like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and cancer.  
• Centre for School Mental Health: Engages in national research on child and youth development, school psychology, and mental health. Programs like Supporting Transition Resilience of Newcomer Groups help immigrant or refugee children in Canada manage stress. 
• Newcomer Health Hub: This resource reduces healthcare disparities and supports Canadian healthcare providers with evidence-based guidelines for newcomer populations. 
• Exercise and Pregnancy Lab: Collaborates with universities across Canada to investigate the effects of exercise on pregnant women and their fetus. 

Global

• Western Heads East: This collaboration between Western staff, students, faculty, and African partners uses probiotic foods to contribute to health and sustainable development. Key researcher Gregor Reid has been honoured with the Gregor Reid Award for Outstanding Scholars in Developing Nations.  
• Frugal Biomedical Innovations: This multi-disciplinary initiative co-designs, develops, and deploys innovative medical technologies for remote and low-resource areas. In 2023, a total of 15 recipients received grants for low-cost innovations, including a 3D-printed, open-source medicine autoinjector. 
• Brain and Mind Institute (Centre for Brain & Mind): This institute has exchange programs with the Geneva Neuroscience Center and the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, as well as collaborations in 13 other countries. It promotes research and international collaborations in cognitive neuroscience. 
• TRIDENT Project: This multi-centre project collaborates with McGill University, UBC, University of Toronto, and several international partners including the UK Dementia Research Institute. Western’s Mouse Translational Research Accelerator Platform supports this initiative with advanced brain imaging equipment, leading the fight against neurodegenerative diseases. 
• Western Academy for Advanced Research (WAFAR): In 2023, WAFAR scholars partnered with Princeton University to map the human brain.
• Achieving Equity and Global EDIDI Competence in the Canadian Health Sector Workforce: Partnering with universities in Uganda, Malawi, Rwanda, Kenya, Benin, Liberia, and Senegal, this program prepares health care professionals to work with and understand diverse populations.