What is GET-FACTS?
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) funded project entitled GET-FACTS: Genetics, Environment and Therapies: Food Allergy Clinical Tolerance Studies is investigating food allergy in Canada through four (4) components:
- Studying novel biomarkers to assess allergy and tolerance
- Studying the environmental influences on tolerance to foods
- Studying the genetic influences on tolerance to foods
- Enacting an end-user driven research agenda through Knowledge Translation
This site focuses on pillar number four - Knowledge Translation.
What are we doing?
This component of the project formally brings together food allergy stakeholders in the areas of advocacy, health policy and patient support and a small number of project scientists through regular meetings over the course of five years. Known as the GET-FACTS Steering Committee, their purpose is to:
- To develop an end-user informed basic science research agenda for food allergy in Canada.
- To ensure concrete deliverables over the life of the project (2014-2018).
- To facilitate an open dialogue between researchers and end-users around the science agenda.
During these regular meetings the basic scientists will have the chance to report to the stakeholders on the state of the project and stakeholders are given time, space and encouragement to provide feedback to shape the research. Simultaneously, researchers will gain insight into how well stakeholders understand aspects such as the role of genes and the environment in food allergies, and how that knowledge can best be disseminated to end-users, and in what forms.
Why is this important?
The gap between health study findings (knowledge) and utilization of findings (action) is sometimes known as the knowledge-to-action gap, or Knowledge Translation. This end-user driven model of Knowledge Translation can in theory ensure we are asking the right questions and creating high quality relevant research. The findings of this study potentially will serve as a framework for further biomedical based health studies in Canada.
What are we researching?
In addition to bringing everyone together, we are also “researching the researchers” to gain insight into this novel approach to conducting Knowledge Translation in health research. We are conducting on-going evaluations of both scientists and stakeholders to evaluate how well the end-user driven model of research is operating.
Who are we?
There are many people involved in the GET-FACTS Steering Committee and the wider GET-FACTS research project:
- Food allergy stakeholders are representative of the areas of advocacy, health policy and patient support.
- Basic scientists include Bruce Mazer, MD, FRCPC, and Ann Clarke, MD, FRCPC.
- Social scientists include Susan Elliott, PhD, Neil Randall, PhD, and Jenna Dixon, PhD.
Please see the Contacts section for more details and complete contact information for the GET-FACTS Steering Committee.
A strong multi-university, multi-disciplinary team is investigating the differences in genetic profiles for food-allergic and food-tolerant individuals to help predict future food allergy patients within families. A complete list of investigators can be found on the GET-FACTS project site.
If you have questions or comments specifically about the Knowledge Translation component of GET-FACTS, please contact Jenna Dixon.