Research Challenge
Program Lead: Perla Araiza
The BC Cancer Practice-Based Research Challenge is an innovative approach that bridges the gap between clinical practice and research by empowering teams of point-of-care clinical staff to identify challenging clinical issues and find evidence-based answers through research.
Deadline to submit applications is now closed. The next intake for the 2026 cohort will open in December 2025.
Background | |
Practice-Based research is a systematic approach oriented to finding answers to everyday problems of clinical practice with the purpose of improving the work of practitioners for the benefit of patients. PBR links relevant research questions of practicing clinicians with different research methods to produce research results that are more easily assimilated into everyday practice and to support practice and policy change that directly impact quality of care. The BC Cancer Research Challenge is an annual program that offers BC Cancer employees with limited, or no research experience the opportunity to learn basic research skills and work with a mentor to develop a small-scale research project that has potential to improve practice and patient care. |  |
The Research Challenge will: | ||||
1Help you learn about research and conduct your own clinical practice project. | 2Provide you training, mentorship and funding. | 3Answer a question you have about your own clinical practice or in an area of interest to improve patient care. | ||
Eligibility
The Research Challenge is open to non-physician employees of BC Cancer who have little or no research experience, and have limited opportunities to get funding and training to lead research projects.
Research Challenge Teams
- Minimum of two members. We recommend 3 members to help distribute the workload.
- Teams can be inter-professional (i.e. Two Registered Nurses and one Radiation Therapist).
- Team leader: Must be a direct point-of-care BC Cancer staff member, in a 0.5 FTE or greater full/part time position, and employed at BC Cancer for a minimum of one year.
- At least one other team member. Team members can be any BC Cancer staff in a part-time or full-time position.
Teams must also include a research mentor and at least one patient partner (see below).
Research Mentors
Research mentors can be any BC Cancer staff member who regularly conducts research (e.g., physicians, etc.) or any researcher that has a BC Cancer affiliation or cross appointment (i.e., UBC, etc.). Research mentors offer advice and guidance.
See the Mentorship Guidelines for more information.
Patient Partners
Patient partners represent the people that the research project serves. The active and meaningful collaboration with patients as partners in research is essential towards work to provide and improve person-centered health care. Including patient partners is now mandatory for research challenge projects and they can participate in any or all parts of the research process.
Reach out to us at research.kt@bccancer.bc.ca if you have questions about including patient and family partners in your proposed research idea. Visit the Patient and Family Experience Program for more information and resources for working with patient partners.
How to Apply & What to Expect
- Form a research team and submit the Letter of Intent by February 26, 2025 at 4PM to research.kt@bccancer.bc.ca.
- All letter of intents are reviewed by the BC Cancer Research Advisory Committee, composed of scientific, operational, and patient partner reviewers that advise the Research Challenge competition.
- If accepted, participate in the Research Challenge training from March – May 2025. You will receive training on research methods, conducting a literature search, research ethics, and research project budgeting.
- Develop and submit a full research proposal application in June 2025. If your proposal is successful, you will receive $5000 in funding and have 18 months to complete your research project.
- Review the Research Challenge Timeline and Guidelines for more information.
Research Challenge DocumentsBC Cancer Research Challenge Timeline_Updated BC Cancer Research Challenge Guidelines BC Cancer Research Challenge Letter of Intent BC Cancer Research Challenge Mentorship Guidelines BC Cancer Research Challenge Research Or Quality Improvement |
2025 Research Challenge Info SessionThank you to those who attended! If you wish to revisit some of the content presented, you can find the PowerPoint Slides Here. The session has been recorded (See Below): | Practice-Based Research Series: Reimagining Health CareLearn more about Research Challenge Projects that are being done by BC Cancer Nurses and Allied Health Professionals | |
What does a Research Challenge Project look like?
2024 Research Challenge
- Evaluating Surface Contamination of 5 Oral Antineoplastic Drugs in a Canadian Cancer Care Centre Non-Compounding Pharmacy (E-SCOLD)
- Trauma-Informed Brachytherapy
- Investigating the Prevalence and Factors Behind Missed Pre-Appointment Tests
- Is there an Association Between the Degree of Neurological Side Effects and Infusion Reactions in Patients Receiving Oxaliplatin?
- Exploring the Factors Influencing the Decision-Making Process in BRCA 1 and 2 Carriers who are a Candidate for Prophylactic Mastectomy vs Enhanced Breast Screening Imaging in a BC High Risk Clinic
2023 Research Challenge
- Understanding Factors that Influence Care Providers Decisions to Use Telemedicine or In Person Appointments in the Oncology Patient Population
- Uncovering the Care Needs of Cancer Patients Receiving Brachytherapy Treatment through a Trauma-Informed Care Perspective
- Exploring the Role of Healthcare Architecture in Cancer Patients
2022 Research Challenge
- Exploring the use of a radiation therapist patient navigator in tailoring radiation therapy education to the needs of the patient
- Evaluating a MSLA 3D printer for radiotherapy
- Exploring the effects of delaying LA_SSA treatment on patient symptoms and experience as a result of scheduling DOTATOC PET scans
2021 Research Challenge
- Radiation Therapists’ perspective on the impact of COVID-19 precautions in clinical practice
- Use of PRO-based multidisciplinary intervention in gynecologic oncology patients receiving active systemic therapy
- Direct Contact -exploring the attitudes of hereditary cancer patients to a supported direct-contact approach for informing relatives about cascade testing
- Understanding the Lived Experience of Individuals with Late Radiation Associated Dysphagia (Late RAD)
- Supplemental E-mail Instructions for FDG PET/Ct Scans: Investigating the Impact on Preparation Compliance Rate
2019 Research Challenge
BC Cancer Foundation is the fundraising partner of BC Cancer, which includes BC Cancer Research. Together with our donors, we are changing cancer outcomes for British Columbians by funding innovative research and personalized treatment and care.