SUPPORT-Canada COVID-19 Initiative - CanPath

COVID-19 Research Area(s): Diagnostics, Genomics & Transmission Dynamics, Epidemiology & Public Health

We are establishing a population-based research platform that will allow scientists to rapidly answer key questions to aid in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

We will leverage prior investments in research infrastructure to develop a Canadian Population Cohort COVID-19 Initiative, SUrveilling Prospective Population cOhorts for COVID19 pRevalence and ouTcomes in Canada (SUPPORT-Canada), to advance clinical and population research to better understand, prevent and combat the spread of COVID-19. SUPPORT-Canada will be built out from the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health (CanPath), the largest health research platform in Canadian history, which includes the BC Generations Project, and the Toronto-based University Health Network (UHN), the largest research organization in North America, with support from numerous research platforms, regional partners, industry collaborators, service providers and >90 national and international collaborators (www.covid19hg.org). SUPPORT-Canada will include three core aims: (1) Capture population and clinical-level COVID-19 data and outcomes to support personalized risk profiling, and inform adaptive public health responses; (2) Create capacity for research in immunophenotyping, seroprevalence and host-viral genetics; and (3) Explore genomic and comorbidity/environmental interactions in shaping the pathophysiology of COVID-19 severity and susceptibility and immunological response. Our platform has been designed to integrate with global research efforts to support clinical, immunological and genetic studies of COVID19. Our approach will enable rapid data sharing and translation of findings to the public health and research community.