David Nicolas leads the way in researching countermeasures to minimize the impact of COVID-19

KBHN principal investigator, Dr. David Nicolas, is one of several recipients of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Rapid Research Grant by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

According to the Government of Canada website, Nicolas’ grant is a chance for Canada “to continue to contribute to global efforts that will address the COVID-19 outbreak.” As a result, the government has put forth an additional $25.8M in research.

This contribution serves to support 49 researchers who will dedicate their resources to developing and implementing countermeasures to minimize the impact of COVID-19. This number brings the government’s total investment to $52.6M and 96 research teams from across the country.

Nicholas, who is a Professor in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary, will explore the psychosocial and health service consequences of coronavirus on children and their families.

In doing so, Nicolas hopes to illuminate the perspectives of children, their families, and health care providers about how the COVID-19 outbreak has affected public health and institutional health care delivery.

The study will also draw a comparison of these findings relative to data collected during the 2003 Canadian SARS outbreak to provide recommendations for practice and policy about pandemic preparedness.

With KBHN, Nicolas helps build navigational supports for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families. The project provides a catalyst for organizations to break down siloes and collaborate to improve navigation pathways.

KBHN would like to congratulate Dr. Nicolas on this vital funding opportunity. The 2019-2020 COVID-19 pandemic has affected the lives of many Canadian families. His research will be a critical contribution to the COVID-19 community response, and it will have a lasting impact on those affected by the pandemic.

If you would like to read more about David’s research and that of the other recipients, please visit Government of Canada funds 49 additional COVID-19 research projects for more information.