Dear colleagues, As many of you will know, Canada is hosting the Fourth Global Symposium on Health Systems Research from November 14-18, 2016 in Vancouver, BC. This is a major international event that takes place every two years. It brings together thousands of health system leaders, researchers and trainees to discuss how we make health systems better through research. The focus of this year’s symposium is on creating resilient and responsive health systems for a changing world. The CIHR Institute of Population and Public Health has provided financial support for the event, along with several other CIHR Institutes, and we have helped organize a number of panel sessions. If you will be in Vancouver, I hope you will join me and the several other CIHR Scientific Directors who are taking part in these sessions. I’d also like to recognize the researchers and trainees who successfully competed for CIHR travel awards to attend this symposium through an open, peer-reviewed competition co-funded by my Institute and the CIHR Institute of Health Services and Policy Research that Robyn Tamblyn leads. Together, we were able to fund 18 awards. For example, the five top-ranked applicants by peer reviewers were: Dr. Benjamin Brisbois, a postdoctoral researcher at St. Michael’s Hospital Mr. Jean Claude Mutabazi, a PhD student at Université de Montreal Dr. Emilie Robert, a postdoctoral researcher at Université de Montreal Dr. Sheona Mitchell, an obstetrician and gynecologist and assistant professor at the University of British Columbia Dr. Lisa Puchalski Ritchie, an emergency physician with the University Health Network, a lecturer in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, and a scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael’s Hospital These kinds of travel awards are regularly offered by CIHR Institutes to attend particular events of strategic importance to each Institute’s respective mandate. IPPH’s next such competition will be to support researchers to present at the Canadian Public Health Association’s Annual Conference from June 6-8, 2017 in Halifax, NS. The CPHA Conference deadline for submitting workshop proposals is November 22, 2016, and the deadline for submitting abstracts is November 29, 2016. See their website for more details. IPPH’s open competition for travel awards to present accepted abstracts/workshops at this conference will open in December. My congratulations again to those who received travel awards to attend the forthcoming health systems research symposium. I look forward to seeing you in Vancouver! Best, Steven Steven J. Hoffman JD PhD LLD Scientific Director, CIHR Institute of Population and Public Health Director, Global Strategy Lab, and Associate Professor of Law, University of Ottawa NT5

November 2, 2016

Today, one in three Canadians has diabetes or pre diabetes…but together we can change that. During Diabetes Awareness Month , you can help make an impact in an incredibly healthy way!

Have you heard the saying that it takes 21 days to form a new habit? Join thousands of like-minded Canadians for the 21 Day Challenge to End Diabetes by starting a new healthy habit to raise vital funds for the Canadian Diabetes Association.

Starting your healthy habit is easy:

1.Decide to make a change.
2.Pick the healthy habit you’ll do for 21 days in a row such as walking, taking the stairs or eating healthier. We have more ideas to help you decide!
3.Sign-up at 21DaysforDiabetes.ca.
4.Encourage your friends, family and colleagues to make a $21 donation on your behalf to raise vital funds to support people affected by diabetes.
5.Spread the word through your social networks by using hashtag #Diabetes21.
6.Challenge family and friends to register for the challenge and create their own healthy habit to help end diabetes.

Start your 21 Day Challenge to End Diabetes today! Get further information at: www.diabetes.ca/newsroom/search-news/join-the-21-day-challenge-to-end-diabetes

NT5