CanVECTOR Scientific and Foundational Platforms

CanVECTOR is organized into six platforms that are the pillars of the network. The network aims to generate new knowledge through:

  • Clinical trials
  • Basic and translational science research
  • Population and health services research 

These efforts improve our understanding of the underlying pathology of thrombosis and enhance the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE).

CanVECTOR supports scientific research by:

  • Enhancing our world-class research capacity through a unique training program for emerging researchers
  • Training both researchers and patients in patient engagement and partnership in research
  • Coordinating knowledge translation activities to ensure our research reaches various knowledge users

Beyond these platforms, CanVECTOR leverages the expertise of our Working Groups. The Research Coordinators Working Group and the Trainee Council provide essential infrastructure and a unified voice for the professionals and emerging scholars driving our research forward.

Scientific Platforms

Platform Co-Leads

Aurélien Delluc (Ottawa, ON)
Leslie Skeith (Calgary, AB)

This platform supports the development and execution of high-quality clinical research related to venous thromboembolism and anticoagulation. The platform brings together investigators and clinical trial teams to discuss new study ideas and provide updates and feedback about new and ongoing studies.

With the goal of improving VTE study quality, standardization, and collaboration, we have

  • Established common data elements for VTE studies in partnership with the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH)
  • Developed a toolkit for the collection of thrombosis-related data elements in COVID-19 clinical studies as part of an international taskforce
  • Defined standardized outcomes and a core outcome set for VTE studies, with international collaborators
  • Designed the VERDICT Adjudication platform with the Ottawa Methods Centre to facilitate best practices for outcome adjudication

Pilot Trials

Since 2016, CanVECTOR has held annual pilot study competitions that are open to network members. Pilot studies evaluate the feasibility of recruitment and study procedures, and can inform sample size calculations and study logistics. Pilot data can also be reassuring to funders and grant reviewers and help to secure large-scale funding for collaborative multicentre trials.

Mentorship is embedded in the research teams by requiring inclusion of trainees and early career investigators, along with patient partners and established investigators. Applications are reviewed by CanVECTOR patient partners and by peer-reviewers from Canada and members of other national networks (through INVENT-VTE).

Learn about CanVECTOR-supported pilot studies.

Platform Co-Leads

Camille Simard (Montreal, QC)

Keerat Grewal (Toronto, ON)

Members of this platform’s working group have used large-scale Canadian healthcare administrative databases to conduct population-based studies that address gaps in VTE management in Canada and internationally. They have also undertaken quality improvement initiatives to evaluate the impact of changes in clinical practice.

Over the next five years, the platform working group will focus on three key priorities that were identified through a structured process with working group members:

  1. Establishing Connections
    • Support connections between CanVECTOR investigators by mapping expertise.
    • Build partnerships with external administrative data groups and identify pathways for collaborative projects.
  2. VTE Validation
    • Harmonize VTE definitions across datasets.
    • Develop and validate algorithms.
    • Lay the groundwork for a national data dictionary.
  3. Promoting and Sharing Research
    • Centralize ongoing projects.
    • Improve dissemination of research findings within the network.
    • Develop a structured knowledge-sharing program.

Platform Co-Leads

Maha Othman (Kingston, ON)

Paul Kim (Hamilton, ON)

This platform connects basic scientists with translational research opportunities in the network while providing trainees with research support through annual funding competitions, such as the Research Start-Up and Studentships Awards.

Foundational Platforms

Platform Co-Leads

Miriam Kimpton (Ottawa, ON)

Amye Harrigan (Halifax, NS)

The Training & Mentoring platform aims to establish a sustainable training program to support emerging researchers and build capacity for VTE-related research.

Our goals include:

  • Addressing unmet training needs
  • Facilitating early career launch for junior scientists
  • Delivering training aligned with best practices
  • Supporting and developing clinician investigators and clinician scientists

Thanks to the generous support of our partners, CanVECTOR has been able to directly support  trainees through annual funding competitions such as the Research Start-up and Fellowship Awards, which are administered via the platform.

Additionally, through our partnership with the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP), the network has supported emergency medicine trainees focusing on VTE research

Platform Co-Leads

Carol West (Chelsea, QC)

Yan Xu (Ottawa, ON)

This platform ensures patients are involved in all stages of research, including:

  • Identifying research priorities
  • Designing study methods
  • Conducting research
  • Sharing findings in meaningful ways

Patient perspectives are critical to improving care quality, as they bring unique insights into the lived experience of VTE, from managing symptoms to medication impacts.

Platform Co-Leads

Siraj Mithoowani (Hamilton, ON)

Zachary Liederman (Toronto, ON)

Research is only impactful when its findings are put into practice. This platform ensures that VTE-related evidence is:

  • Rapidly translated to clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and patients
  • Shared in formats tailored to different audiences
  • Co-developed with many collaborators to encourage implementation and in some cases, policy change

Working Groups

Group Co-Chairs

Jennifer Brinkhurst (Ottawa, ON)

Stephanie Scala (Montreal, QC)

The Research Coordinators Working Group (RCWG) aims to brings together research coordinators from across the CanVECTOR network to support collaboration, knowledge sharing, and capacity building in thrombosis research. Research coordinators play a critical role in the successful conduct of clinical and translational research, and this working group provides a dedicated forum to recognize and strengthen that role within CanVECTOR.

The working group is co-led by Jennifer Brinkhurst and Stephanie Scala, and includes research coordinators involved in CanVECTOR-affiliated studies at participating institutions. Members represent a wide range of experience and contribute practical insights into study coordination, ethics submissions, data collection, participant recruitment, and trial operations.

The group meets at least once annually during the Annual Conference, providing an opportunity for in-person discussion, networking, and shared learning. In addition, the working group plans and participates in activities and workshops throughout the year, with a focus on professional development, sharing best practices, and addressing common challenges faced by research coordinators.

Through these activities, the Research Coordinators Working Group helps strengthen the research infrastructure within CanVECTOR and supports high-quality, collaborative thrombosis research across the network.

Trainee Council Chair

TBD

The Trainee Council was established in 2016 to provide a forum for CanVECTOR fellows and graduate students to discuss issues relevant to training and career development. The Council is particularly focused on training as it relates to research and venous thromboembolism (VTE) and is aligned with the Network’s mission to decrease the health, social and economic burden of VTE on affected individuals, their families, and on Canadians as a whole.

The Council reports to the Training and Mentoring platform on matters of interest or concern to trainees and provides suggestions to the Network from the trainee perspective. The Council assists in the evaluation of various CanVECTOR programs and initiatives and assists in the development and revision of education materials, as needed. 

The Trainee Council Goals are listed below:

  • Advocacy for issues that impact trainees (CIHR funding cuts, etc.)
  • Communication of trainee perspectives and needs to CanVECTOR leadership (SSC) and committees
  • Organization of trainee-related events at CanVECTOR meetings and/or annual conference.
  • Facilitating peer networking and mentorship including exchange of ideas and sharing resources