A One Health Canada Excellence Research Chair enhances UPEI's existing cluster of five signature research areas, as outlined in our Strategic Research Plan (2023–2028): 

1. Humanity, Justice and Organizations
2. Environmental Stewardship
3. Healthy Communities
4. Healthy Animals
5. Sustainable Development

These research strengths are supported by UPEI's academic faculties—the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (Atlantic Veterinary College); Faculty of Indigenous Knowledge, Education, Research, and Applied Studies; the recently established Faculty of Medicine; Faculty of Nursing; and the Faculty of Science and its School of Applied Climate Change and Adaptation; UPEI facilities—including the Atlantic Veterinary College and Veterinary Teaching Hospital; the Canadian Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation; and the new School of Medicine; and UPEI's established partners—internal institutes, centres, and groups including the Institute of Island Studies; the Atlantic Node for the Canadian Wildlife Cooperation; the Health Research Network; Centre for Health and Community Research; the Centre for Veterinary Epidemiological Research; and external partners like Parks Canada.

Supporting Faculties

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
upei.ca/avc

The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (Atlantic Veterinary College - AVC) is well suited to house the CERC in One Health. Current research in the realm of One Health includes antimicrobial resistance, brain health, mental health and wellness, human-animal bonds, public and population health, vaccinology and therapeutics, regenerative medicine, cancer prevention and precision medicine, all areas of focus under the Healthy People and Populations CERC priority areas. Infrastructure to support One Health-related research is already available, as AVC's acclaimed experts work in the areas of One Health including zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and healthy animal protein.

School of Climate Change and Adaptation
upei.ca/scca

UPEI's School of Climate Change is housed in the Canadian Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation in St. Peters, PEI. Researchers with specialized knowledge explore the challenges and solutions of this global issue to achieve creative and effective solutions for the simultaneous protection of humans, animals and the environment. Measurements of real time climate change effects as well as links to government, industry, and society provide real world climate change data that can be studied in a One Health approach.  

Faculty of Indigenous Knowledge, Research, Education, and Applied Studies (IKERAS)
upei.ca/ikeras

IKERAS provides Indigenous perspectives on climate change and human health as well as the importance of respecting all relations—living and non-living. IKERAS has links to the indigenous community within and beyond PEI able to provide real world experiences around human, animal and environmental health.  

Faculty of Medicine
upei.ca/medicine

A cornerstone of the new UPEI Faculty of Medicine will be the collaboration with other health-related academic and research programs at UPEI. The Faculty of Medicine has links with Health PEI, the government, the various medical and physician organizations and allied health sectors providing real world human health data in the Province of PEI.  

Faculty of Nursing
upei.ca/nursing

UPEI's Faculty of Nursing fosters an interactive academic environment that prepares nursing students to become critically reflective practitioners, advocates, educators, and professional leaders grounded in the principles of primary health care. Experienced faculty members and graduate students share their extensive health research collaboratively across UPEI's campus, regionally, and internationally. 

Faculty of Science
upei.ca/science

A diverse range of research activities within the Faculty of Science covers a spectrum of interests, both fundamental and applied in character. Besides expertise in theoretical and applied mathematics, nanocomposite materials, and soft and hard condensed matter, other examples of ongoing research endeavours are directly related to One Health, including environmental sustainability, and diet and health.

Supporting Facilities

Atlantic Veterinary College and the Veterinary Teaching Hospital
upei.ca/vth

The Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) serves the four provinces of Atlantic Canada (Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and PEI). The College promotes scientific discovery and innovation, trains highly qualified personnel, and advances research and development regionally, nationally, and internationally. Leveraging its unique location, the AVC works closely with the aquaculture and agriculture industries to promote the health and welfare of terrestrial and aquatic food animals through service and research. The research impact of AVC in aquaculture is strengthened by a diagnostic laboratory offering unique expertise in fish pathology and by engaging infield studies that include diagnostic imaging through ultrasound, evaluating farming practices, and assisting in developing humane methods for animal transport, the AVC has established a valued partnership with the agriculture industry in the province. Research in agriculture is soon to be bolstered by the opening of a Foreign Animal Disease Laboratory in 2025, which will improve the region’s preparedness against high-consequence pathogens. Along with the promotion of animal health and food production, AVC researchers collaborate directly with Island farmers to identify and mitigate factors that affect the welfare of livestock.

Canadian Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation 
cccca.upei.ca

As a destination for world-class research and learning, the Canadian Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation (CCCAA) at the University of Prince Edward Island will provide knowledge and collaboration in a “living laboratory” environment. The Centre is a new initiative jointly funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Prince Edward Island, and the University of Prince Edward Island that provides access to high-quality datasets, multidisciplinary research teams, outstanding graduate and postdoctoral fellows, and engaged industry, community, and government partners. Together, these aspects produce a highly participatory environment that fosters new knowledge and research and development for climate change adaptation and innovation.

School of Medicine and Health Education facility
upei.ca/medicine/collaborations-and-facilities

UPEI's new $91.5 million state-of-the-art facility will house the regional campus of Memorial’s Doctor of Medicine (MD) program and serve as a hub for interprofessional health education and training. The building will include a future-focused Clinical Learning and Simulation Centre, a 10,000-person patient medical home, a provincial ADHD clinic, an expanded Doctor of Psychology program clinic, and additional resources. This facility will also support One Health research and the broader healthcare system.

Supporting Partnerships

Institute of Island Studies
islandstudies.com/about-iis/

The Institute of Island Studies is a research, education, and public policy institute based at the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. The work of the Institute focuses on the culture, environment, and economy of small islands, with an emphasis on Prince Edward Island.

Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre
awc.upei.ca

The Centre supports animal welfare research spanning many species from fish and laboratory animals to companion animals, large animals, and wildlife. Among these, behaviour studies provide new insights on the sleep, rest, and hiding behaviour of dairy cattle. The AVC’s Canada Research Chair in Social Epidemiology for Healthy Animals is reducing the know-do gap through implementation science approaches to assessing barriers to improving equine and bovine welfare. Atlantic Veterinary College researchers investigate the welfare of companion and laboratory animals through such studies as the influence of early life stressors on puppy and kitten behaviour and the effects of ultrasonic noise on rat physiology and behaviour. Over the last five (5) years, 33 veterinary and graduate students participated in welfare research projects, leading to 75 scientific publications.

Centre for Health and Community Research (CHCR)
chcresearch.ca

The CHCR is a multidisciplinary research centre at the University of Prince Edward Island in Canada. Collaborating with Canadian and occasionally international partners, we aim to build research expertise in health and community well-being. We work with researchers, government, decision makers, administrators, front-line workers, and community members to determine priorities and develop research questions. We then generate, translate. and provide the data and evidence they require to make informed decisions and to allow them to implement new approaches and solutions to improve our communities’ health and well-being.

Centre for Veterinary Epidemiological Research (CVER)
upei.ca/cver

The Centre for Veterinary Epidemiological Research (CVER) is among the most successful centres for veterinary epidemiology in the world. It has top scientists holding expertise in epidemiology and population-based research. CVER has hosted numerous prestigious research chairs including a Canada Excellence Research Chair in Aquatic Epidemiology, led by Dr. Ian Gardner, a Canada Research Chair in Epi-Informatics, led by Dr. Crawford Revie, and the current Canada Research Chair in Veterinary Social Epidemiology, under the leadership of Dr. Caroline Ritter.

Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (Atlantic node)
cwhc-rcsf.ca

The Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative is a collection of highly qualified people within a cross-Canada network of partners and collaborators dedicated to wildlife health. Our Cooperative includes internationally renowned wildlife disease diagnosticians and researchers, experts in population health, skilled educators and experienced policy advisors. 

UPEI Health Research Network (UPEI HRN)
projects.upei.ca/hcrc

The UPEI Health Research Network is an initiative of the PEI Primary and Integrated Healthcare Innovations Network and is located on the campus of the University of Prince Edward Island. The purpose of this research clinic is to conduct person-centered research that will promote health and wellness across the lifespan. At the UPEI HRN, new models of care and therapies are developed for chronic and acute health conditions and technologies are developed to support the proactive maintenance of health.

Parks Canada 
parks.canada.ca

For the past ten years, ongoing collaborations between UPEI and Parks Canada have contributed in important ways to climate change and adaptation, species at risk, healthy ecosystems, and the protection and preservation of Canada’s natural and cultural heritage.