Grant: Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support

The "Pandemic Influenza Outbreak Research Modelling" (Pan-InfORM) team was funded by CIHR to evaluate mitigation strategies for pandemic preparedness and provide guidance to public health planners and decision makers for optimizing health responses. Through a series of bi-annual workshops and networking activities beginning in 2008, the team has applied a multidisciplinary approach to engage stakeholders for the development of innovative knowledge translation methodologies. We propose that the fourth Pan-InfORM workshop be held at the International Centre for Infectious Diseases in September 2014 to continue and build on collaborative initiatives that have been established to address a wider range of Canadian public health challenges. The workshop will provide a forum for a bilateral exchange of knowledge between researchers and representatives of public health organizations. In addition to knowledge translation activities, the objectives for the meeting will include an evaluation of presented research in terms of its ability to address gaps in knowledge and its potential impact on policy decisions. Finally, the workshop will discuss plans for further knowledge generation and translational activities, including the establishment of a formal network consisting of experts from various disciplines with a common goal for producing evidence based public health recommendations.