UPLEARN Supported Projects

Principal Investigator: Dr. Ayodele Odutayo, Sunnybrook Research Institute

DFCM Co-Investigator (if different): Dr. Andrew Pinto, Unity Health Toronto

UPLEARN Approval Date: May 2025

Project Summary: The study is a pilot clinical trial that will test whether early use of kidney and heart protective medicine is feasible and safe for patients with diabetic kidney disease, compared with usual care.

Project Status: Starting in mid 2026

Principal Investigator: Dr. Rahul Chanchlani, McMaster University

DFCM Co-Investigator (if different): Dr. Andrew Pinto, Unity Health Toronto

UPLEARN Approval Date: April 2025

Project Summary: The study is a mixed-methods study that explores why blood pressure checks for children are done less often then recommended in Ontario primary care. It focuses on primary care providers’ views on what gets in the way and what helps. The findings will be used to design practical strategies to improve screening and to develop a pilot study to test whether those strategies are feasible, appropriate, and effective.

To learn more, please contact Navdeep Wirring at wirringn@mcmaster.ca.

Project Status: To start in Spring 2026

Principal Investigator: Dr. Andrew Pinto, Unity Health Toronto

DFCM Co-Investigator (if different): N/A

UPLEARN Approval Date:

Project Summary: The study aims to improve equitable access to primary care for people facing vulnerabilities. It looks at how new investments in primary care can be designed so they reduce inequities.  The project has two parts running in parallel: first, the team will review policies and public information from the past decade and conduct interviews with policymakers and people with lived experience in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec to understand what approaches exist, what works, and what gaps remain.  Second, the team will run a pilot study in the Toronto region to test two ways of connecting adults facing vulnerabilities to primary care: a navigator-led approach versus multilingual written information tailored to different parts of the city.  Findings will inform practical policy recommendations, identify best practices, and generate pilot results to support a future national adaptive platform trial to evaluate and improve access strategies over time.

To learn more: https://upstreamlab.org/project/engage/

Project Status: In progress

Principal Investigator: Dr. Andrew Pinto, Unity Health Toronto

DFCM Co-Investigator (if different): N/A

UPLEARN Approval Date: June 2024

Project Summary: PREPARED is a multi-faceted initiative that aims to help Canada prepare for future pandemics by strengthening disease surveillance, improving care and health system efficiency, linking patients to clinical trials, and supporting the development of diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics.

PREPARED works with primary care, emergency departments, and pharmacies to routinely test patients with respiratory illnesses, connect them to timely care, and offer opportunities to participate in research. It also partners with the biomanufacturing sector to help accelerate innovations in vaccines, treatments, and diagnostic tests.

To learn more: https://preparedcanada.org/

Project Status: In progress

Principal Investigator: Carolina Arteaga Cabrales, University of Toronto

DFCM Co-Investigator (if different): Dr. Karen Tu, University Health Network, North York General Hospital

UPLEARN Approval Date: February 2024

Project Summary: The study aims to measure how often weight bias occurs in healthcare and how it may affect patients’ health using an existing electronic medical record database. It will examine whether patients with higher body weight receive different care (e.g., shorter visits, fewer follow-ups, differences in clinical notes) and whether these differences are linked to poor outcomes such as delayed diagnosis or lower-quality treatment.  The study includes both the general population and pregnant patients, who may face a higher risk of weight-related discrimination. It will focus on health conditions that may be missed or diagnosed later in people with obesity (e.g., asthma, diabetes, breast cancer, and lipedema). Findings will help inform practical policies and interventions to reduce weight bias and improve care.

Project Status: In progress

Principal Investigator: Shaza Fadel, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto

DFCM Co-Investigator (if different): Dr. Catherine Ji, University Health Network

UPLEARN Approval Date: February 2024

Project Summary: This study examines whether primary care electronic medical records (EMRs) can be used to find missed opportunities for vaccination, defined as health visits where someone is eligible for a recommended vaccine but does not receive it. Using an existing EMR database, the team will create two Ontario cohorts from 2015–2019: children under 2 years and adults over 65 years who have ongoing primary care visits. The study will estimate how often missed opportunities for vaccination occur and how many children have delayed routine vaccines (e.g., the first MMR dose), based on the number of visits before vaccination takes place.  It will also explore whether missed opportunities for vaccination can serve as an equity‑informed indicator. Findings will inform future grant applications, potential linkages with broader datasets, and the development of tools to help practices monitor and reduce vaccination gaps.

Project Status: In progress

Principal Investigator: Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif, Montreal Heart Institute

DFCM Co-Investigator (if different): Dr. Andrew Pinto, Unity Health Toronto

UPLEARN Approval Date: January 2024

Project Summary: The study is a large clinical trial that examines whether low dose of two commonly used medicines: colchicine (an anti‑inflammatory drug) and aspirin (a blood‑thinner), can help prevent heart and blood‑vessel events in people with Type 2 diabetes who do not have known cardiovascular disease.  The study will enroll about 10,000 participants and compare colchicine and aspirin, used in combination or alone, with placebo (inactive pills).

To learn more: https://colcot-t2d.org/en.

Project Status: In progress

Principal Investigator: Dr. Michelle Greiver, North York General Hospital

DFCM Co-Investigator (if different): N/A

UPLEARN Approval Date: March 2018

Project Summary: The study is a clustered pragmatic clinical trial aiming to assess the impact of a qualitative improvement (QI)-oriented approach on reducing polypharmacy as defined by having ten or more different prescription medications among Canadians 65 years or older, improving patient care and health outcomes, and enhancing care provider experience.

To learn more: https://www.spiderdeprescribing.com/

Project Status: In progress