Island Medical Program

Researcher: Dr. Benedikt Fischer
Interests: Dr. Benedikt Fischer joined CARBC as director of a new research unit – Illicit Drugs, Public Health and Policy Unit, as of July 1, 2006. He also has a tenured faculty appointment with the Department of Sociology at the University of Victoria as well as a prestigious 5-year Senior Scholar career award from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research. Dr Fischer will be spearheading new research programs at CARBC concerned with a range of illicit drug policy issues such as the legal status of cannabis, safe injection facilities and the prevention of HIV and Hepatitis C among injecting drug users.

Dr. Fischer’s research focuses on determinants, dynamics and consequences of substance use from multi-disciplinary perspectives, including socio-behavioral determinants, public health, harms and costs, criminal justice; socio-legal studies and law/policy making. Recent and current research projects include: Illicit opioid use and treatment; Hepatitis C prevention/treatment in marginalized populations; cannabis use and driving; cannabis law/policy; crack use and public health.

Contact Info: Dr. Benedikt Fischer
Director, Illicit Drugs, Public Health and Policy Unit
Tel: 250-472-5445
bfischer@uvic.ca

Researcher: Dr. Brad Nelson, Ph.D.
Interests: Dr. Nelson’s research is focused on:

  • understanding how a patient’s immune system responds to cancer before, during, and after treatment, and
  • the development of effective immune-based therapies for cancers of the breast, ovary, prostate, colon, and lymphatic system
Contact Info: Deeley Research Centre
BC Cancer Agency
2410 Lee Avenue
Victoria, BC
V8R 6V5
Tel: 250-519-5705
Fax: 250-519-2004
bnelson@bccancer.bc.ca

Researcher: Dr. Eric A. Roth
Interests: My research interests include demography, maternal-child health, HIV-AIDS in Africa, and human evolutionary ecology. Since 1987 I have conducted fieldwork and research with Rendille and Ariaal Rendille pastoralists of Marsabit District, Northern Kenya.
Contact Info: Department of Anthropology
University of Victoria
P.O. Box 3050
Victoria, BC
V8W 3P5
Tel: 250-721-7046
Fax: 250-721-6215
ericroth@uvic.ca
Additional info: Click here to visit Dr. Roth’s website.

Researcher: Dr. Peter Watson
Interests: Dr. Peter Watson is a clinician-scientist with a clinical practice in breast pathology and a research program focused on breast cancer.
Contact Info: Director, TTR
BC Cancer Agency
Vancouver Island Centre
2410 Lee Avenue
Victoria, BC
V8R 6V5
Tel: 250-519-5700