About the Health Research Hub

The idea of Health Research Hub (HRH) originated from our shared interest in moving health forward at Waterloo. Our vision is to have a single, coordinated entry point to support health research at the university; built as a co-op in which people can be users seeking support and also contribute their insights and expertise.

We began with a simple belief: if we want to build something that truly works, we must listen first to ensure we are strategic, evidence-informed, and relevant. We have been meeting with health-research stakeholders – investigators, trainees, support staff, community organizations, healthcare providers, and people with lived experience. We have learned there are significant opportunities: strong interest in collaboration, a desire to improve process and workflows, and enthusiasm for sharing expertise and resources.

Alongside listening, we’ve been conducting proofs of principle to test the idea of a Health Research Hub in practice—piloting new pathways, coordinating supports, and showing how an integrated approach can reduce barriers and unlock new possibilities.

Finally, we’ve been building. Developing a system for intake and response to user queries about health-research related resources, expertise, data, equipment, spaces, and community engagement. Our goal is to ensure users feel heard and supported, and the experience is intuitive and practical.

Looking ahead, we’re focused on scaling what works, staying responsive to users, and evolving the Health Research Hub in support of health research and innovation.

We hope you will join us!