Featured Projects

The Missing Piece in Overdose Response

Current responses to the overdose crisis have a critical gap: brain injury. Every overdose is not just a pharmacological emergency—it's a neurological one. When someone survives an overdose, oxygen deprivation and toxic effects damage brain regions controlling decision-making, memory, and impulse control.

This creates a vicious cycle: brain injury reduces treatment efficacy and increases overdose recurrence risk, leading to more overdoses which cause more brain injury. Breaking this cycle requires recognizing brain injury as both a cause and consequence of high-risk substance use.

The Framework

PROTECT provides an integrated neuroprotective framework organized into four evidence-based modules:

PROTECT-ED (Education & Prevention): Brain health literacy and upstream harm reduction targeting neurological risk awareness

PROTECT-AI (Surveillance & Analytics): Digital health tools and biomarkers to identify neurobiological risk and enable early intervention

PROTECT-RX (Therapeutic Interventions): Staged neuroprotective treatment framework spanning immediately deployable interventions to investigational therapies

PROTECT-LIFE (Response & Recovery): Real-world overdose response and long-term recovery systems informed by brain health principles

Implementation Pathway

The framework includes a three-phase strategic implementation roadmap (0-12 months, 1-3 years, 3-10 years) with clear actions, timelines, and measurable outcomes for health authorities, policy-makers, and community organizations.

Executive Summary

This report presents findings from a systematic audit of 88 peer-reviewed publications from the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU), conducted to assess the consistency, transparency, and methodological rigour of research practices. The audit was not undertaken lightly; it emerged from a research effort to synthesize evidence on cannabis use among people who use drugs (PWUD), which revealed fundamental inconsistencies that foreclosed meaningful comparison and synthesis.

Research Context

Publication bias and questionable research practices (QRPs) undermine the reliability of scientific evidence, particularly in fields informing high-stakes policy decisions such as substance use and harm reduction. This audit systematically examined research outputs to identify patterns of methodological inconsistency, selective reporting, and analytical flexibility that may compromise the validity of published findings.

Methodology

The audit employed advanced statistical methods including meta-analytical techniques, consistency assessments across publication outputs, and systematic evaluation of transparency in methodological reporting. Analysis focused on identifying patterns consistent with p-hacking, HARKing (Hypothesizing After Results are Known), and selective outcome reporting.

Significance

This work contributes to the growing field of meta-research—research about research—and demonstrates the critical importance of rigorous self-examination within scientific institutions. The findings have implications for research governance, peer review processes, and the translation of evidence into policy, particularly in public health domains where research directly informs population-level interventions.

Project Overview

UPLIFT is an innovative mobile health (mHealth) application designed to support individuals affected by substance use through evidence-based harm reduction strategies, peer support networks, and personalized recovery pathways. The application integrates behavioral science, neuroscience, and user-centered design to create accessible, stigma-free digital support.

Core Features (Planned)

Harm Reduction Tools: Real-time risk assessment, safer use guidance, and overdose prevention resources including naloxone locators and emergency contact integration.

Cognitive Support: Memory aids, medication reminders, and appointment tracking designed to accommodate cognitive impairment common in substance use populations.

Peer Connection: Moderated peer support networks connecting individuals with lived experience, reducing isolation and fostering mutual aid.

Resource Navigation: Comprehensive directory of local services including treatment programs, housing supports, harm reduction sites, and healthcare providers.

Progress Tracking: Optional goal-setting and milestone tracking respecting user autonomy and meeting people where they are in their recovery journey.

Target Launch

Initial pilot testing is planned for [PLACEHOLDER YEAR], with phased rollout contingent on funding and partnership development. The application will be free to users and supported through grants, foundation funding, and health system partnerships.