Studies in the CITF Databank

Determining long-term immune protection in COVID-19 patients

Ishac Nazy, McMaster University

This study aims to identify how the immune system responds to SARS-CoV-2 by examining different elements of the immune response, including antibodies and T cells that attack the virus, as well as immune memory B and T cells responsible for long-term protection from the virus.
Research summary Results View study on

Detecting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using inexpensive home blood collection kits

Keith Jarvi, Sinai Health System

This study is using a group of healthcare workers to develop and validate a home blood collection kit that will be used with a fully automated antibody testing platform.
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COVID-19 Vaccination and Community Protection: A Cohort Study in Hutterite Colonies

Mark Loeb, McMaster University

This study investigates the extent to which COVID-19 vaccination interrupts transmission of SARS-CoV-2 within communities. The research team is following Hutterite colony members in three provinces for 18 months to understand the levels of COVID-19 vaccination required to achieve protection and assessing the impact of the various vaccines that have been administered.
Research summary

THE Ku-gaa-gii pimitizi STUDY: HOMELESSNESS AND COVID-19 (formerly COVENANT Study)

Stephen Hwang, Unity Health Toronto

The Ku-gaa-gii pimitizi Study is gathering in-depth information on COVID-19 among people experiencing homelessness in Toronto, which has Canada’s largest homeless population.
Research summary Results Study website View study on

Long-term care residents: Studying immune response to COVID-19 and developing an early warning system for outbreaks

Xiaoli (Lilly) Pang and Chris Sikora, University of Alberta

This study is examining how the immune systems of residents and staff in long-term care facilities in Alberta react to COVID-19 infection and to vaccines. Monitoring will be done via blood samples and sewage wastewater.
Research summary Results

COVID-19 Vaccination among People Living with HIV: Immunogenicity, Effectiveness, and Safety

Aslam Anis, University of British Columbia

COVID-19 may pose a greater risk to people living with HIV. This study is following 400 people living with HIV in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver to determine their COVID-19 immune responses. Researchers are also doing a population-based analysis of provincial public health to look at vaccine effectiveness in people living with HIV.
Research summary Results

Prospective Evaluation of COVID-19 Vaccine in Transplant Recipients (PREVenT-COVID): A National Strategy

Deepali Kumar, University Health Network

This study is following more than 600 transplant recipients from several high-volume transplant centres in Canada over a two-year period to test the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in this immunosuppressed population. To assess long-term safety, researchers are developing a national safety surveillance system of COVID-19 vaccination amongst transplant recipients through the CANVAS network.
Research summary Results

Prospective Cohort Study to Examine Immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Cancer Patients with Solid Malignancies

Glenwood Goss, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

This study is investigating whether cancer patients can develop an immune system response to COVID-19 vaccines and is looking to provide critical information on the effectiveness of vaccines for people with cancer.
Research summary

Saskatchewan SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence Protocol (Phase I/Retrospective- lab analysis only)

Maureen Anderson, University of Saskatchewan

This study aims to understand what proportion of the population in Saskatchewan has immunity to SARS-CoV-2 by geographic area, age group and sex, in order to establish the cumulative population immunity. Researchers are also examining how long immunity lasts and helping to target vaccination campaigns.
Research summary

Surveying prospective population cohorts for COVID19 prevalence and outcomes in Canada (SUPPORT-Canada)

Philip Awadalla, Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health (CanPath)

Building on Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health (CanPath), a national population health research platform that follows the health of 330,000 Canadians, SUPPORT-Canada aims to capture data and biologics to help researchers and clinicians determine the factors that contribute to COVID-19 susceptibility and severity.
Research summary Results Study website

Manitoba COVID Seroprevalence Study (MCS Study)

Derek Stein, University of Manitoba

This study will take blood samples from Manitobans every two to three months to provide up-to-date estimates of COVID-19 prevalence. It will measure seroprevalence in the general population in Manitoba by sex, age, and regional health authority, determine risk factors for infection and improve estimates of case fatality ratio.
Research summary

The serologic prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 amongst incarcerated persons in provincial correctional facilities in Saskatchewan

Alexander Wong, University of Saskatechewan

This study aim is to measure the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among incarcerated individuals in Regina, Saskatchewan.
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Action to beat Coronavirus in Canada (Ab‐C Study)

Prabhat Jha, Unity Health Toronto

Using dried blood spot (DBS) samples from about 10,000 randomly selected adults from across Canada taken at two separate intervals, the Action to Beat Coronavirus (Ab-C Study) aims to increase understanding of the durability of immunity against SARS-CoV-2 reinfection.
Research summary Results

Brittany Barker
Brittany Barker

Evaluating the safety and immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines among underserved urban populations with intersecting risk factors for COVID-19 morbidity and mortality: a pooled analysis of three prospective cohort studies in Vancouver, Canada

Hudson Reddon and Brittany Barker, University of British Columbia

Urban centres are home to people from vulnerable populations (those suffering from homelessness, living in group settings, high-intensity substance use and having other infectious diseases such as HIV) who have increased risk factors for catching SARS-CoV-2 and developing serious cases of COVID-19. In this study, researchers are evaluating the uptake, safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in these groups.
Research summary

Measuring the prevalence of COVID-19 among Quebec food workers

Denis Boudreau, Université Laval

This study aims to shed light on how many food industry workers have been exposed to the virus and what their immune responses are.
Research summary

Studying paramedics’ risk of exposure to COVID-19

Brian Grunau, University of British Columbia

The study aims to follow 5,000 paramedics from British Columbia and Ontario to examine COVID-19 risk factors, infection, and immunity; this includes paramedics who have already been vaccinated.
Research summary Results

Monitoring hotspots for COVID-19 among University of Waterloo students

Brian Dixon and Marc Aucoin, University of Waterloo

This study of students, faculty and staff at the University of Waterloo and other nearby post-secondary institutions aims to demonstrate which groups on a university campus are more at risk for catching SARS-CoV-2, and the factors that increase risk of exposure.
Research summary

Tracking COVID to inform interventions and help make our schools safer

Pascal Lavoie and Louise Mâsse, University of British Columbia

This study is evaluating a group of staff and students in the Vancouver School District to determine how many have previously been infected with COVID-19. Researchers are determining the risk of exposure to the virus in schools, and the effects of the pandemic on participants’ mental health.
Research summary Results Study website

Ontario food workers: determining the prevalence of COVID-19 to help stop transmission

Amit Oza, University Health Network

Using asymptomatic testing, this study aims to better understand the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in food industry settings. This study focuses specifically on employees at several food production facilities in the Greater Toronto Area.
Research summary

Sharon Straus

IPAC+ evaluating intervention impact using serological and cellular assays as correlates of SARS-CoV-2 exposure among long-term care homes (LTCH) staff, residents, and transmission networks

Sharon Straus, Unity Health Toronto

This study aims to understand the different aspects of immunity for long-term care residents and workers as well as their response to vaccines.
Research summary Results Study website

Determining the impact of COVID-19 vaccines on long-term care residents

Marc Romney, Providence Health Care / University of British Columbia

The study examines how the immune systems of older residents and staff in long-term care facilities in British Columbia respond to COVID-19 vaccination. Researchers will also assess the viral, immunological and social factors that have contributed to COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care facilities to better understand why the disease has been fatal to so many residents.
Research summary Results

Sharon Walmsley

Safety and Efficacy of Preventative COVID Vaccines (STOPCoV)

Sharon Walmsley, University Health Network

STOPCoV is comparing how people aged 70 and over respond to COVID-19 vaccines compared to younger people aged 30 to 50. They are looking at demographics, underlying illness, medication taken, and other factors. Once people are eligible for a third dose, the team will continue to follow participants to determine antibody responses to that third dose.
Research summary Results

Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA): Platform for studying the epidemiology of the COVID-19 pandemic in aging populations (CLSA COVID-19 Study)

Parminder Raina, McMaster University

Building on the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), a national research platform with more than 50,000 individuals, the CLSA COVID-19 Antibody Study aims to collect and analyze blood samples from more than 19,000 CLSA participants in 10 provinces in order to estimate how widespread SARS-CoV-2 is among older adults by province, age, and sex.
Research summary Study website View study on

The EnCORE Study: How many children and teens in Montreal have been infected with SARS-CoV-2?

Kate Zinszer, Université de Montréal

The EnCORE Study is a research project estimating how many young people in Montreal have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Specifically, they are studying 2- to 17-year-olds in daycares, elementary schools, and high schools randomly selected in four Montreal neighbourhoods.
Research summary Results Study website View study on

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among African Canadians: Clinical and Epidemiological Correlates

Upton Allen, Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) Research Institute

In this study, researchers will follow people of African ancestry in Ontario to determine how many have had COVID-19 and to establish the risk factors associated with getting the infection as well as having poor outcomes, including hospitalization and death.
Research summary Results

See our other funded research studies

See our other funded research studies