Peter Selby

Dr. Selby is the Giblon Professor, Vice-Chair of Research and Head of the Division of Mental Health and Addiction in the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) at the University of Toronto. He is also a Professor at DFCM, the Department of Psychiatry and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at U of T.

He is the Director of the recently established Mental Health and Addictions Division at DFCM, a Clinician Scientist in the Addictions Division and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, and a Senior Medical Consultant at the Centre for Addition and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto. Additionally, he is completing his term as the Chair of the Medical Education Council for the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

Dr. Selby is a respected leader and researcher in areas including addictive disorders, motivational interviewing and health behavior change at individual and system levels. His research focuses on innovative methods to understand and treat addictive behaviours and their comorbidities. He uses technology to combine clinical medicine and public health methods to scale up and test health interventions.

His most recent program of research utilizes a Learning Health Systems approach to investigate how technology enabled collaborative care can enhance the delivery of evidence-based interventions to the patient while providing a more satisfying experience of care for both patient and provider.

Research Synopsis

Dr. Peter Selby is a Clinician Scientist in the Addictions Division and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, as well as a Senior Medical Consultant, at the Centre for Addition and Mental Health (CAMH). He is a Professor in the Departments of Family and Community Medicine, Psychiatry, and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. He is also a Clinician Scientist in the Department of Family and Community Medicine.

Dr. Selby's research focus is on innovative methods to understand and treat addictive behaviours and their comorbidities. His work has a strong focus on pragmatic implementation trials using novel methods, with particular emphasis on the use of technological innovation to increase the reach and effectiveness of interventions.

Honours and Awards

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2019 Ivan Silver Innovation Award, Continuing Professional Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

2018 Continuing Education and Graduate Studies Instructor Award, Dept of Family & Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

2016 2016 LEADing Practice Award, Canada Health Infoway and Accreditation Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Clinical Practice, Specialty: STOP Portal).

2014 Fellow, Training Institute for Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (TIDIRH), Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States. (Distinction).

2014 Clinician Scientist Investigator Award, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

2012 Physician Achievement Award, OMA section on Addiction Medicine, Canada. (Distinction).

2011 President’s Shield Award, Addictions Ontario, Canada. (Distinction).

2007 Award of Excellence, Ontario College of Family Physicians, Canada. (Distinction).

2007 Outstanding Award, Nova Scotia’s South Shore Health Outstanding Quality Initiative Award, Canada. (Distinction).

2006 Fellow, American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), Toronto, United States. (Distinction).

2006 Smoke-Free Champion Award, Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA), Canada. (Distinction).

Grants

Dr. Selby has received grant funding totaling over 85 million dollars from CIHR, NIH, and Ministry of Health.

2019 Oct – 2022 Sept Co-Investigator. Understanding the impact of smoking cessation treatment on health and healthcare service use among smokers in Ontario. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Project Grant – Spring 2019. PI: Baliunas D. Collaborator(s): De Oliveira C, Kurdyak P, Rosella L, Selby P, Sutradhar R, Zawertailo L. 286,876 CAD

2019 Jul – 2020 Mar Co-Principal Investigator. Low Risk Nicotine Use Guidelines. Health Canada Substance Use and Addictions Program. PI: Selby P, Dragonetti R, Minian N, Zawertailo L, Salach L, Dobbins M. 371,431 CAD

2018 Apr. – 2021 Apr. A Healthy People Initiative: A Randomized Controlled Trial Building the Socio-Economic Capital of Low Income Population At-Risk for HIV and Hepatitis C (HPI Pilot Trial). Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Operating Grant: HIV/AIDS Commuity-Based Research (2017 – 2018). PI: Pakhale S, McKay E. Collaborator(s): Selby P, Willis V, Thavorn K, Ramsey T. 450,000 CAD.

2018 Jan. – 2021 Dec. A community-based participatory action pragmatic randomized controlled trial using electronic-cigarette for tobacco dependence in the low income population with a holistic approach. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Project Grant – Fall 2017. PI: Pakhale S, McKay E. Collaborator(s): Eisenberg MJ, Willis V, Barker K, Selby P, Perrin P, Thavorn K, Kretschmer L, Bignell T. 1,985,175 CAD.

2018 Apr. – 2020 Mar. De-implementation of high-risk opioid prescribing and use. Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. PI: Selby P. 3,398,500 CAD.

2017 Nov. – 2019 Oct. Implementing lung cancer screening for those living with low income. Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute (CCSRI). Knowledge to Action Grant – 2017. Co-PI: Lofters A, Liu G. Collaborator(s): O’Brien MA, Chang B, Crosskill A, Eng L, Giuliani M, Hwang S, Kim F, Mowat D, Paszat L, Selby P, Vahabi M. 99,950 CAD.

2017 Oct. – 2019 Sept. My youth TECC study: MPA youth technology-enabled care collaboration study. Medical Psychiatry Alliance. PI: Selby P. Collaborator(s): Dettmer E, Foussias G, Grewal S, Hahn M, Kohut S, Lachance L, Melamed O, Mulsant B, Taylor V, Voineskos A, Zenlea I. 813,362 CAD.

2017 Jun. – 2022 May. Cannabis and brain maturation: A population-based study. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Project Grant – Fall 2016. PI: Paus T. Collaborator(s): Abrahamowicz M, Pausova Z, Pike B, Richer L, Seguin J, Selby P. 1,276,020 CAD.

2017 Jun. - 2019 May. A cluster randomized trial of tailored vs generic knowledge brokering to integrate mood management into smoking cessation interventions in primary care settings in Ontario, Canada. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Knowledge to Action. Co-PI: Selby P, Heydon A. Collaborator(s): Minian N, Ravindran A, Zawertailo L, Baliunas D. 200,000 CAD.

2017 Apr. – 2020 Mar. E-cigarettes for smoking cessation or harm reduction: Real-world comparative effectiveness to other cessation aids and tobacco co-use. Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Health Services Research Fund: 2016 Calls for Targeted Research. Co-PI: Selby P, Zawertailo L. Collaborator(s): Stanbrook M, Tilson M. 578,052 CAD.

2017 Apr. – 2018 Mar. A community-based participatory action pragmatic randomized controlled trial using electronic-cigarette for tobacco dependence in the inner city population with a holistic approach. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Project Grant – Fall 2017. PI: Pakhale S, Boyd R. Collaborator(s): Selby P, Eisenberg M, Thavorn K. 100,000 CAD.

2017 Apr. – 2018 Mar. Addiction training module for families. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Foundation. PI: Selby P. 21,250 CAD.

2017 Apr. - 2018 Mar. Training Enhancement in Applied Cessation Counselling and Health (TEACH): A program to enhance capacity for delivery of smoking cessation interventions in Ontario. Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. PI: Selby P. Collaborator(s): Dragonetti R. 1,620,000 CAD.

2017 Apr. - 2018 Mar. The STOP (Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients) Study: The effectiveness of nicotine replacement therapy in Ontario smokers. Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. PI: Selby P. Collaborator(s): Zawertailo L. 7,081,500 CAD.

2017 Mar. – 2019 Feb. Tobacco addiction treatment implementation and scale up in dental care settings: A mixed methods study. Pfizer Inc. (USA). Global Research Awards for Nicotine Dependence (GRAND). PI: Selby P. Collaborator(s): Saunders D, Ebnahmady A, Zawertailo L, Baliunas D, deRuiter W, Le Foll B, Minian N. 184,762 USD.

2016 Dec. – 2018 Jun. Addiction and suicide research. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Foundation. PI: Selby P. 90,102 CAD.

2016 Nov. – 2022 Mar. Picking up the PACE (Promoting and Accelerating Change through Empowerment): Expanding tobacco cessation training curriculum to promote integrated chronic disease prevention. Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and Medical Psychiatry Alliance. Co-PI: Selby P, Taylor V. Collaborator(s): Zawertailo L, Minian N, deRuiter W, Melamed O, Ebnahmady E. 1,046,904 CAD.

2016 Nov. - 2019 Oct. Long-term effectiveness of mailed nicotine replacement therapy: A five-year follow-up. Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute (CCSRI). Prevention Research Grant. PI: Cunningham JA. Collaborator(s): Leatherdale S, Selby P, Zawertailo L, Tyndale R. 442,254 CAD.

2016 Nov. – 2017 Jul. Improving tobacco dependence treatment for Ontario’s Inuit community through a community-based participatory approach. Bhasin Consulting Fund Inc. Fund for Inclusion in Mental Health. Co-PI: Selby P, Barker M. Collaborator(s): Lund C, Dragonetti R. 8,500 CAD.

2016 Apr. - 2017 Mar. Training Enhancement in Applied Cessation Counselling and Health (TEACH): A program to enhance capacity for delivery of smoking cessation interventions in Ontario. Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. PI: Selby P. Collaborator(s): Dragonetti R. 1,620,000 CAD.

2016 Apr. - 2017 Mar. The STOP (Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients) Study: The effectiveness of nicotine replacement therapy in Ontario smokers. Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. PI: Selby P. Collaborator(s): Zawertailo L. 7,114,500 CAD.

2016 Oct. - 2018 Sep. Using non-invasive brain stimulation (tDCS) to improve the effectiveness of varenicline for treating tobacco dependence: A randomized controlled trial. Pfizer Inc. (USA). Global Research Awards for Nicotine Dependence. PI: Zawertailo L. Collaborator(s): Selby P, Zack M, Rajji T. 191,566 USD.

2016 Aug. - 2019 Jul. Building effective teams: The implementation of a web-based clinical collaboration system. Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute (CCSRI). Innovation to Impact Grant. PI: Husain A. Collaborator(s): Barwick M, Stinson J, Cafazzo J, Jamieson T, Cohen E, Rapoport A, Goldman R, Bezak A, Krzyzanowska M, Selby P, Loganathan M, Bhatia S. 450,000 CAD.

2016 Jun. - 2018 May. A cluster randomized trial of tailored vs generic knowledge brokering to integrate mood management into smoking cessation interventions in primary care settings in Ontario, Canada. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Knowledge to Action. Collaborator(s): Minian N, Ravindran A, Zawertailo L, Baliunas D. 200,000 CAD.

2015 Nov. - 2019 Oct. Advancing cancer prevention in deprived neighbourhoods. Canadian Cancer Society and Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research. Prevention Research Grant. PI: Paszat L. Collaborator(s): Lofters A, Pinto A, O’Brien MA, Sutradhar R, Selby P, Grunfeld E, Manca D, Lansdorp-Vogelaar I, Sullivan F, Glazier R, Donnelly P, Rabeneck L, Baxter N, Tinmouth J, Kyle R, Petrusiak MA, Nesbitt J, Wall B, Pellizzari R, Gardner C, Simon L. 597,042 CAD.

2015 Apr. - 2017 Mar. Opioid prescribing patterns for acute pain. Canadian Centre On Substance Abuse. First Do No Harm. Collaborator(s): O’Grady T, Porath-Waller A, Robeson P, Gomes T, Sproule B, Wallingford S, Patterson Z. 13,000 CAD.

2015 Apr. - 2016 Mar. Training Enhancement in Applied Cessation Counselling and Health (TEACH): A program to enhance capacity for delivery of smoking cessation interventions in Ontario. Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Collaborator(s): Dragonetti, R. 1,620,000 CAD.

2015 Apr. - 2016 Mar. The STOP (Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients) Study: The effectiveness of nicotine replacement therapy in Ontario smokers. Ontario Ministry of Healthand Long-Term Care. Collaborator(s): Zawertailo, L. 1,281,000 CAD.

2015 Feb. - 2020 Jan. Personalized dosing of nicotine replacement for smoking cessation: An effectiveness randomized placebo-controlled trial. Canadian Cancer Society. Impact Grant. PI: Selby P, Zawertailo L. Collaborator(s): Hendershot C, Tyndale R, Le Foll B, Samokhvalov A, Thorpe K, Pipe A, Reid R. 1,239,026 CAD.

2015 Feb. - 2017 Jan. Personalized patient alerts and care pathways to prompt prevention interventions for combined alcohol and tobacco users in primary care. Canadian Cancer Society. Innovation Grant. Collaborator(s): Hendershot C, Minian N, Zawertailo L, Penner J, Giesbrecht N, Samokhvalov A, Rehm J, Baliunas D, Cunningham J, Le Foll B, Ivanonva A, Rahman F. 199,900 CAD.

2014 Jul. - 2015 Jun. Pregnets: online pre and post-natal smoking support for women and healthcare providers. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Planning and Dissemination Grant–Institute Community Support. Collaborator(s): Lessels C, Minian N, Penner J. 10,000 CAD.

2014 Apr. - 2016 Mar. RE-CIG: Research on e-cigarettes. Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Health Services Research Fund. PI: Zawertailo L, Schwartz R. Collaborator(s): Selby P, Ferrence R, O’Connor S. 499,925 CAD.