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Health CanadaHealthy Environments and Consumer Safety BranchProduct Safety ProgrammeFields of Research The Product Safety Programme assists in the reduction of risks to the health of Canadians by identifying, assessing, and managing the health and safety hazards associated with consumer products, workplace chemicals, new chemical substances, products of biotechnology, radiation emitting devices, environmental noise, and solar UV radiation. The program helps consumers and workers make informed choices about the products they buy or use. The two areas listed below would welcome interested visiting fellows. Product Safety LaboratoryFields of Research The Product Safety Programme conducts research and development and performs tests and evaluation to determine the safety of consumer products in its Product Safety Laboratory in Ottawa. These activities provide vital information relating to the types and level of hazards, facilitate risk assessment and the search for preventative measures, and support the development of standards and product safety regulations. Consumer products examined at the laboratory include textiles, children's products, toys, ignition sources such as lighters, and consumer chemicals. Laboratory capabilities available are in the areas of analytical chemistry, flammability, and mechanical engineering. Contact Stephen Lee Product Safety Laboratory Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection BureauFields of Research The bureau assesses the health and safety risks associated with radiation-emitting devices and other sources of radiation (e.g., X-rays, radio waves, microwaves, noise, ultraviolet light, lasers) and provides advice on the reduction of risks. The bureau has laboratory capabilities in all of these areas where the following activities are performed:
Contact Robert P. Bradley Consumer and Clinical Research Bureau Safe Environments ProgrammeRadiation Protection BureauFields of Research Collaborative research with a wide variety of partners in the investigation of health risks from radiation and radioactivity in natural environments, homes, and the workplace; development, assessment, and deployment of field monitoring equipment to detect nuclear/radiological accidents, nuclear weapons tests, and illicit transportation/use of radiation sources; research into source identification and atmospheric transport from isotopic ratios; development of rapid, sensitive, and accurate measurement techniques for radionuclides in the environment and people; research into human uptake and metabolism of radionuclides and models of radiation damage at the cellular level; epidemiological studies and delivery of quality assurance programs. Contact J. Cornett Radiation Protection Bureau Environmental Health Science BureauFields of Research Chemical characterization of air pollutants; animal studies to determine the toxicity of single- and multi-pollutant exposures; exposure assessments and modelling research; national surveys and epidemiological studies; development of biomarkers for reproductive and mutagenic effects. Contact Dr. David Blakey Environmental Health Science Bureau Health Products and Food BranchFood DirectorateThe Food Directorate is Canada’s primary food safety regulator and policy maker. It establishes policies, regulations, and standards related to the safety and nutritional quality of food, which are enforced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The Food Directorate has a clear mandate stemming from the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act and the Department of Health Act. More than 400 employees across Canada perform a variety of activities aimed at ensuring the safety and nutritional quality of food in Canada, including:
The Food Directorate’s focus is on the following program areas:
All Food Directorate research is part of an integrated program of interventions and information to Canadians. Research supports public health policies, standard-setting, surveillance, and risk assessment. Research and related scientific activities are carried out in several areas of the Food Directorate across Canada. A description of their activities follows. Bureau of Chemical SafetyFood Research DivisionFields of Research The Food Research Division engages in a range of research activities related to the identification, determination, distribution, and sources of potentially hazardous chemicals in the food supply. The division is also responsible for the development of appropriate methodology for use by Regional Food Laboratories and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Contact Dr. Don Forsyth Food Research Toxicology Research DivisionFields of Research The Toxicology Research Division is responsible for the identification and investigation of potential health hazards associated with chemical contaminants, including natural food toxicants as well as chemicals of environmental origin entering the food chain and food additives. Research is carried out on the carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic, and other potentially toxic effects of these chemicals, including effects on behaviour and the immune system. Contact Dr. Rekha Mehta Toxicology Research Bureau of Nutritional SciencesFields of Research This division conducts research on the nutritional and metabolic aspects of foods in support of policy development, standard setting, and risk assessment related to the nutritional quality and safety of the Canadian food supply. The division also develops and evaluates analytical methods for nutrients and studies the relationship of certain aspects of the diet to disease conditions. It also has the mandate to conduct food consumption and nutrient intake surveys in collaboration with the Bureau of Biostatistics and Computer Applications and provincial health departments. The division also maintains and markets the Canadian Nutrient File, Canada's database on the nutrient content of foods. Contact Dr. Peter Fischer Nutrition Research Division Bureau of Microbial HazardsMicrobiology Research DivisionFields of Research The Microbiology Research Division studies the safety of foods with respect to infectious and toxigenic organisms, defines the conditions leading to survival, growth, and toxin production of these organisms, and recommends measures of control. The division also develops methods for detecting bacteria, viruses, toxins, and parasites, and provides analytical assistance to other departments. In addition to research, the division is responsible for the operations of the Botulism Reference Centre for Canada and the Listeriosis Reference Service. Contact Dr. Sabah Bidawid Microbiology Research Division Animal Resources DivisionFields of Research ARD provides services to the Food Directorate and other groups in Health Canada, primarily related to the provision, care, and management of laboratory animals. The division procures and supplies laboratory animals; provides a central animal care facility for use by branch scientists; provides specialized and conventional housing systems for a variety of laboratory animals species; provides containment facilities for infectious and hazardous chemical work with laboratory animals; provides other animal care services, e.g., laboratory animal housing, care, and handling, assistance with technical manipulations in accordance with experimental protocol, laboratory animal breeding for project requirements, and supplying in house strains of laboratory animals from ARD breeding colonies; and provides a variety of veterinary pathology, bacteriology, parasitology, biochemistry, haematology, immunology, and histopathology services. Contact Bill Pearce Animal Resources Division Biologics & Genetic Therapies DirectorateFields of Research Canada's Biologics & Genetic Therapies Directorate is the national authority which regulates biological products available to Canadians. The directorate, which bases its regulatory decisions on proven evidence, strives to give Canadians access to safe, effective and high quality biological products. The Biologics & Genetic Therapies Directorate is recognized nationally and internationally as the Canadian regulatory authority for the management of the benefits and risks of biologics and radiopharmaceuticals for human use. Centre for Biologics ResearchFields of Research The assessment and investigations of the safety and efficacy of biological drugs such as vaccines, interferon, insulin, hormones, allergenic extracts, blood derivatives, monoclonal antibodies, and drugs made by recombinant DNA techniques; development and authentication of reference standards, analytical methods and specifications for raw materials, active bulk substances, and finished products; bioavailability and pharmacokinetic studies of drugs and metabolites and development of assay methods and statistical analysis of data; biotechnology studies of the molecular, biochemical, and genetic basis of disease; alternative preclinical screening methodology; physico-chemical assessment of biotech products; studies of endocrine and immune systems; blood, blood products, tissues, and organs; methods of detection of potential contaminants in biological drugs. Contact Dr. Alan Mortimer Centre for Biologics Research Regional LaboratoriesFields of Research The Food Directorate’s Regional Offices are a geographical extension of the Food Directorate. They respond to regional needs and address regional issues through liaison with provincial and regional partners. The regions also participate in the development of policy, standard setting, and risk evaluation. The focus of the regional food laboratories is primarily the national food chemistry program, working hand-in-hand with the Food Research Laboratory. Regional labs conduct analytical surveillance of selected food products and develop methods for analysing chemicals at the trace and ultra trace levels in food. They also participate in national surveys such as the Total Diet Study to determine human exposure to these chemicals. The Quebec Regional Laboratory is also involved in the validation of microbiological methods, working in collaboration with the Microbiology Research Division. Increasingly, regional labs are becoming involved with nutrition research projects. British Columbia and Yukon Region Dr. Helen Nicolidakis Laboratory Operations Manitoba/Saskatchewan Region Gary Lombaert Laboratory Operations Ontario/Nunavut Region Mark Samadhin Food Laboratories Division Quebec Region Phi-Bang Ngo Food Directorate Public Health Agency of CanadaCentre for Infectious Disease Prevention and ControlThe Centre for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control's objectives are to decrease transmission of infectious diseases and to improve the health status of those infected. To achieve its objectives, the Centre provides national leadership, and conducts, supports, and coordinates public health actions on surveillance and epidemiology, infectious disease outbreak investigations, risk management, research including laboratory science, health promotion, and public health policy development, and prevention and care programs. The Centre works in close partnership with Canada's provinces and territories and performs liaison work with international organizations and agencies to actively support global disease eradication initiatives. The Centre's program areas include immunization and respiratory infections, community-acquired infections including Hepatitis C, blood safety surveillance and health-care-acquired infections, HIV/AIDS policy/coordination/programs, and HIV and retrovirology laboratories. The development of national infectious disease guidelines are also a major activity of this Centre. The Centre is structured as follows:
Office of the Director GeneralFields of Research The Office of the Director General provides overall strategic direction and coordination to the various divisions and program areas. There are three main strategic functions within the Office of the Director General: Business Planning, Information and Communications Management, and Program Policy and Analysis. The Office of the Director General also oversees overall Centre coordination of Cabinet business. Contact Dr. Frank A. Plummer Office of the Director General Blood Safety Surveillance and Health Care Acquired Infections DivisionFields of Research Through surveillance, risk assessment, and targeted research, the Blood Safety Surveillance and Health Care Acquired Infections Division provides national leadership in the development and promotion of a national management/policy structure to reduce the risk of bloodborne pathogen infections (including hepatitis, prions, and emerging pathogens), transfusion transmitted injuries, and infections resulting from the transplantation of tissues and organs. The Nosocomial and Occupational Infections Section implements enhanced infection control and prevention programs in health care facilities and other community settings by collecting, analysing, interpreting, and disseminating epidemiological information on nosocomial and occupational infections in the Canadian population such as NOI surveillance, infection control guidelines, antimicrobial resistance, and needle stick surveillance. The Bloodborne Pathogens Section undertakes and supports the surveillance of bloodborne pathogens, including viral hepatitis, and parasitic and emerging or re emerging bloodborne pathogens. This surveillance is performed in collaboration with the National Microbiology Lab (NML). The section further conducts risk assessment, prevention, and control of infectious agents transmitted through the use of blood, blood products, tissues, cells and organs, including gene and stem cell therapies. The section is active in developing and supporting national networks, databases, and research studies, many of which are relevant to new and emerging bloodborne pathogens. Data resulting from surveillance is translated into health intelligence to inform policy decisions and support the development and evaluation of targeted intervention strategies. The section also covers xenotransplantation-related surveillance and policy development. It develops new methods to identify animal viruses capable of transmission to human hosts, relevant to xenotransplantation. Surveillance for exposure to these agents is conducted and potential intervention measures are assessed, culminating in policy recommendations. Contact Dr. Antonio Giulivi Blood Safety Surveillance and Health Care Acquired Infections Community Acquired Infections DivisionFields of Research The division provides national leadership and coordination of surveillance, targeted research studies, evidence based national standards, policy development, and information dissemination for sexually transmitted infections. It supports a holistic view of sexual and reproductive health and works to ensure access to services and programs, including sexual health education, that help Canadians improve and maintain their sexual and personal health. The division works with provinces, non governmental organizations, and health care providers to improve and maintain the sexual health of the Canadian population by preventing and controlling sexually transmitted diseases and their complications, including infertility and cancer. The division designs, develops, and implements programs that will prevent hepatitis C infection, supports people infected with or affected by the disease, and increases public awareness about hepatitis C. In addition, the division provides policy support and expertise on hepatitis C compensation issues, administers the Hepatitis C Prevention, Support and Research Program, and oversees the transfer of funds to the provinces and territories for hepatitis C health care services and hepatitis C look back/trace back initiatives. The division is the focal point for a population health approach to hepatitis C, ensuring a coordinated and integrated federal response. Finally, the division provides leadership and coordination in the prevention and control of tuberculosis in collaboration with partners at the regional, provincial/territorial, national, and international levels. Key activities include development of a Canadian Strategy for Tuberculosis Prevention and Control, funding and coordination of the advisory Canadian Tuberculosis Committee, and surveillance reports on TB cases, TB drug susceptibility test results, and Correctional Service of Canada inmate TB cases and latent TB infections. In addition, it sponsors targeted research, provides policy and program advice as well as training to other government departments, and supports the STOP TB initiative to control TB in developing countries. Contact Dr. Tom Wong Community Acquired Infections Division Foodborne, Waterborne and Zoonotic Infections DivisionFields of Research This division implements an enhanced national capacity to conduct surveillance (data collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination) and investigation of (a) food and waterborne diseases, and (b) zoonotic diseases (diseases in domestic and wild animals relevant to human health, e.g., West Nile virus). The activities include maintaining and developing a national food and water safety surveillance system and providing national leadership to improve enteric disease surveillance and participate in international surveillance. The division also investigates and coordinates investigations of foodborne and waterborne disease outbreaks across Canada and provides guidance and direction, as requested, to provincial health authorities; facilitates and coordinates risk analysis and risk management activities with international, federal, provincial/territorial, and local partner organizations; conducts, supports, and coordinates targeted research in critical areas; and identifies emerging threats to the health and safety of Canadians. The division currently coordinates the national response to West Nile virus, including coordination with P/T stakeholders, development of guidance documents, and maintenance of national surveillance. Contact Dr. Paul Sockett Foodborne, Waterborne and Zoonotic Infections Division HIV/AIDS Policy, Coordination and Programs DivisionFields of Research The HIV/AIDS Policy, Coordination and Programs Division coordinates, implements and monitors the Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS (CSHA). The HIV/AIDS Division moves the strategy towards a nationally shared vision through improved collaboration among all levels of governments, communities, non governmental organizations, professional groups, research institutions, and the private sector. The division also provides national expertise on key activities under the CSHA such as strategy management; policy development and information synthesis; prevention care and treatment programs; marketing and communications; and strategy monitoring and evaluation. Contact Steven Sternthal HIV Policy, Coordination and Programs Division Immunization and Respiratory Infections DivisionFields of Research The goal of the division is to reduce or eliminate vaccine-preventable and infectious respiratory diseases in Canada. In partnership with provinces and territories, the division is responsible for the national surveillance of vaccine-preventable and infectious respiratory diseases, including influenza and SARS, surveillance of vaccine-associated adverse events, and monitoring of immunization status, including the development of an immunization registry network. It provides scientific and administrative support to the National Advisory Committee on Immunization and Pandemic Influenza. The division also initiates and coordinates investigations of vaccine-preventable and infectious respiratory disease outbreaks across Canada, and provides guidance and direction, when requested, to provincial or territorial public health authorities when outbreaks of vaccine-preventable or infectious respiratory diseases occur in individual jurisdictions. The division also conducts, supports, and coordinates applied public health research in the areas of immunization and infectious respiratory disease, and identifies and communicates emerging vaccine-preventable and infectious respiratory disease threats to Canadians. The division collaborates with other national governments and international organizations to prevent and control vaccine-preventable and infectious respiratory diseases. Contact Dr. Arlene King Immunization and Respiratory Infections Division National HIV and Retrovirology LaboratoriesFields of Research The HIV and Retrovirology Laboratory provides comprehensive expertise to national and international partners in human and emerging retrovirus testing and research. These partners include other Health Canada programs (such as regulatory branches of Health Canada), laboratories associated with the provincial ministry of health, and hospital and blood screening labs. The laboratory provides expertise in HIV/HTLV reference service testing and national and international quality assurance programs for HIV serology, viral load testing, and lymphocyte enumeration. The laboratory also develops, evaluates, and transfers related technologies to national and international partners. In addition, the National HIV Laboratories provide laboratory support for HIV and STD surveillance programs through the provision of the specialized laboratory testing necessary for national HIV incidence estimates as well as laboratory support of the Canadian HIV Strain Surveillance and Drug Resistance Surveillance Program (CHSDRSP). Contact Dr. Paul Sandstrom National HIV and Retrovirology Laboratories Surveillance and Risk Assessment DivisionFields of Research This division conducts national surveillance of notifiable diseases, undertakes risk assessments, and carries out modelling and projections for infectious diseases, with particular attention being paid to newly emerging threats. The division also manages a regionally based network of field surveillance officers to work with provincial and territorial authorities to improve the timeliness and completeness of surveillance data on infectious diseases. The division collects and analyses national HIV and AIDS surveillance information and assesses the temporal, geographical and demographic trends in the HIV epidemic. In addition, the division provides public health intelligence on the size and trend of the HIV/AIDS epidemics in Canada and provides technical and financial support for extramural, targeted research and analysis (including outbreak investigations), performs intramural research and analysis, and hosts national meetings on issues of importance to HIV epidemiology and surveillance. Contact Dr. Chris Archibald Surveillance and Risk Assessment Division National Microbiology Laboratory (Winnipeg, Manitoba)The National Microbiology Laboratory is the main infectious disease laboratory within the Public Health Agency of Canada. It is co-located in the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health, a state-of-the-art laboratory facility in Winnipeg, with the National Centre for Foreign Animal Diseases, Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The National Microbiology Laboratory consists of four national laboratories supported by a division of core services which includes DNA sequencing, animal resources, and a central laboratory for decontamination and wash up services. The four national laboratories are:
These laboratories provide expert microbiological reference testing, surveillance, and outbreak investigation support to the public health network in Canada. The National Microbiology Laboratory is a key element in Canada’s preparedness for biological terrorism and other infectious disease emergencies. In addition, the National Microbiology Laboratory operates six external national reference centres on a cost-sharing basis with the provinces. These centres include parasitology (serology), mycology, yersinia, streptococcus, rabies, and Epstein-Barr virus. National Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens Fields of Research The laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens consists of multi-complex laboratory research and surveillance programs for the diagnosis, surveillance, prevention, and control of zoologic diseases in humans. This laboratory performs serological and genetic analysis of pathogenic organisms which are transmitted from animals to humans. Such organisms include hantaviruses, which cause pulmonary syndrome and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome; arboviruses, which cause encephalitis; rickettsia, which cause Rocky Mountain Spotted fever, endemic typhus fever, Q fever, Ehrlichiosis, and Leptospira; Borrelia burgdorferi which causes Lyme disease; and Bartonella which causes Bartonellosis, cat scratch disease, angiomatosis, and other syndromes. Diagnostics for biocontainment Level 4 haemorrhagic fever viruses (including ones such as Ebola, Marburg, and Lassa fever viruses which, if imported via travellers into Canada, could constitute a potential public health emergency) are being set up, and research and surveillance programs established in collaboration with the World Health Organization and other partners. Contact Dr. Harvey Artsob National Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens National Laboratory for Bacteriology & Enterics DiseasesField of Research The National Laboratory for Bacteriology & Enterics Diseases consists of multi-complex laboratory research and surveillance programs for the diagnosis, surveillance, prevention, and control of human bacterial (non-enteric and non-STD) diseases such as meningococcal disease, tuberculosis, pneumococcal disease, tetanus, diphtheria, meningitis, and a wide variety of diseases caused by aerobic and anaerobic infections. It is responsible for the identification and characterization of these bacterial pathogens which cause life threatening diseases. There is a responsibility for monitoring the development of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, a serious emerging global issue, particularly in hospital environments. The Enterics Diseases Program ensures the health and safety of the Canadian public with respect to the prevention and control of enteric foodborne pathogens causing disease. Activities are targeted to reduce the risk of outbreaks of human foodborne disease and to ensure that enteric endemic disease is a priority health issue in Canada. The program embraces four key activities:
Contact Dr. Lai King Ng National Laboratory for Bacteriology and Enterics Diseases National Laboratory for Viral DiseasesFields of Research The National Laboratory for Viral Diseases is a centre of excellence which provides advanced reference services and research in this field. It provides services to support the Canadian public health system by making accurate diagnosis for viral diseases (such as influenza; RSV; adeno; hepatitis A, B, C, D, E; measles; rubella; HHV6; parvovirus B19; paramyxo and HHV8), outbreak investigations, quality assurance, and surveillance. Contact Dr. Tim Booth National Laboratory for Viral Diseases National Laboratory for Host Genetics and Prion DiseasesFields of Research The National Laboratory for Host Genetics and Prion Diseases is responsible for the diagnosis, surveillance, prevention and control of human and neurological and genetic diseases such as Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease, prion disease and other associated diseases. Assistance is provided to laboratories in the application of genetically based patient diagnostics including routine applications as well as more sophisticated methodologies such as 16S rRNA sequencing. The laboratory has established a database of all known 16S rRNA sequences including several hundred atypical pathogenic organisms. This approach is highly successful in identifying and characterizing organisms that cannot be identified by standard procedures. Sophisticated genetic technologies are used to support outbreak investigations and population genetics, using genetically based typing and subtyping techniques. It also houses a DNA repository which is available to internal and external researchers and public health authorities. Applied research is carried out to develop/enhance methodologies for the improved genetic analysis of life threatening organisms. The National Microbiology Laboratory has created a CPHLN secretariat to facilitate day-to-day activities of the network and assist in ongoing public health initiatives. Contact Dr. Mike Coulthart National Laboratory for Host Genetics and Prion Diseases Canadian Public Health Laboratory NetworkFields of Research The Canadian Public Health Laboratory Network was established in 2001, partly in response to the terrorism events of September 11, 2001 and the subsequent anthrax threats. In addition to addressing concerns about the increased frequency and potential lethality of bioterrorism agents, the scope of the network was expanded to include other aspects of public health such as water and food safety response to water-borne outbreaks in Walkerton, Ontario and North Battleford, Sask. The network’s current mandate is to develop and implement strategies to coordinate pathogen detection, infectious disease prevention and control; conduct laboratory-based surveillance, including the development of early warning systems to monitor and detect emerging pathogens, antibiotic-resistant organisms and outbreak; and counter bioterrorism threats. Contact Dr. Ted Kuschak Canadian Public Health Laboratory Network |
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