Research

Faculty Research

There are over 140 full-time faculty members engaged in health research across the 28 departments, schools, programs, institutes and research centres in the Faculties of Social Sciences, Humanities, Education and Human and Social Development. The SDH programs' innovative approach harnesses the full power of this large base of health research expertise, cross-cutting disciplinary affiliations and linking research opportunities at research centres with the faculties' academic mandates.

Through the SDH programs, faculty researchers affiliated with research centres are empowered to support and supervise graduate students outside of their academic home departments. SDH students benefit from working and studying with researchers who are both excellent teachers and involved in cutting-edge research.

In addition, the SDH program's colloquium series which features presentations by invited speakers and senior SDH students on their research, ensures students are exposed to a breadth and depth of health research knowledge beyond their own work.

Faculty members' health research interests can be summarized into eight thematic areas expertise which form the basis of the SDH program:

Social Determinants of Health

Research which investigates the economic and social conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age and how these conditions affect their health.

Health Policy, Law and Bioethics

Research which examines moral problems in health practice, research, policy and law, as well as controversies brought about by advances in biology and medicine.

Health of Populations

Research which studies the health outcomes of groups of individuals and aims to step beyond the individual-focus of main-stream medicine and public health to improve the health of an entire population.

History of Medicine

Research which explores the changing intellectual, economic, institutional and cultural factors that have influenced the development of medicine from past to present.

Aboriginal/Indigenous People's Health

Research which investigates the health and well-being of Aboriginal and Indigenous Peoples, focusing on the strengths, challenges, opportunities and problems of these populations and the societal and institutional structures that influence them.

Addictions

Research which explores substance use, harm reduction and addiction, examining etiology, prevention and treatment, the social, psychological and neurophysiological aspects of addiction and its health and medical effects.

Environmental Health

Research which examines physical, chemical and biological factors in both the natural and built environments which can potentially affect human health.

Health over the Life Span

Research which examines the development of and changes in levels of health and well-being over the human lifespan, and the potential factors which influence them.

For a list of associated faculty members, their research interests and contact information, please visit the Our people section.