About the Quebec Node
Led by Dr. Didier Jutras-Aswad, M.D., M.Sc., the CRISM Quebec Node is housed within the CHUM Research Centre in Montréal. It benefits from an accessible, state-of-the-art, and agile research environment that fosters innovation, collaboration, and research excellence.
Dr. Didier Jutras-Aswad, M.D., M.Sc.
Dr. Didier Jutras-Aswad is a researcher at the CHUM Research Centre, where his work focuses on various aspects of substance use disorders and their comorbidities. He is Co-Principal Investigator of a large longitudinal study involving people who inject drugs, exploring the complex interactions among substance use, mental health, cognition, and risk-taking behaviours. He also leads local and national clinical trials aimed at evaluating interventions and models of care for various types of addiction, including pharmacological treatment approaches.
The operational team plays a vital role within the CRISM Quebec Node. It supports knowledge translation activities, fosters the Node’s vitality and engagement, and maintains strong connections with members across the network.
Fatma Boulouednine
Blanche du Sault
Chloé Raout
Isabelle Boisvert
Sophie Février
The CRISM Quebec Node brings together a number of researchers who lead the research priority areas supported through the 2022-2028 funding cycle of the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Matters (CRISM).
Improving the health and well-being of individuals at risk of, or affected by, substance use disorders requires interventions that are practical, accessible, culturally safe, and informed by an understanding of demographic, epidemiological, and sociocultural contexts.
Accordingly, the Quebec Node research program has the following objectives:
Understand the factors and circumstances that influence substance use disorders and their associated harms in order to inform prevention, harm reduction, and treatment strategies.
Identify, develop, test, and implement interventions aimed at improving the health and well-being of people who use substances, individuals at risk of problematic substance use, and their loved ones.
Promote knowledge sharing by engaging communities, Indigenous Peoples, and stakeholders, and by accelerating the translation of research findings into practice and policy.
To achieve these objectives, the CRISM Quebec Node’s 2022-2028 research program is structured around four interconnected themes that leverage the Node’s strengths and achievements to address emerging health challenges, enhance programs and policies, and build research capacity.
Theme 1
Health, Equity and Quality of Care
Principal Investigator: Julie Bruneau, M.D., M.Sc.
The importance of a syndemic approach to addressing health equity was underscored during the COVID-19 pandemic, which reduced access to essential services and exacerbated the overdose crisis in Canada.
This approach examines the complex interactions among health, economic, and social challenges. Understanding how social and structural factors shape health risks, while accounting for gender, race, sexuality, and comorbidities, is essential to informing future prevention and treatment strategies.
Our team already benefits from strong community-based and clinical cohorts, as well as qualitative and observational studies. However, each study includes its own specific variables, and some intersections among health equity factors may be overlooked. The activities of this research theme will foster collaboration among research teams, promote data sharing, and address knowledge gaps related to populations that have been underserved by our initiatives.
Theme 2
Prevention
Principal Investigator: Nicholas Chadi, M.D., M.P.H.
In Quebec, 6.2% of adolescents engage in at-risk alcohol or drug use, yet access to early intervention services remains limited. The legalization of cannabis in Canada has further highlighted the importance of youth prevention efforts at the local, regional, and national levels.
In collaboration with the CRISM Atlantic Node, our team is implementing large-scale prevention programs in high schools, CEGEPs, and universities based on personality-targeted psychosocial interventions. However, these evidence-based practices have not yet been widely adopted at the local level.
Objectives:
- Strengthen substance use prevention research in Quebec.
- Facilitate knowledge translation and improve the adaptation, implementation, and uptake of evidence-based alcohol and drug prevention practices.
Theme 3
Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Doing
Principal Investigator: Dennis Wendt, Ph.D.
Indigenous Peoples in Quebec have long been affected by substance use challenges resulting from colonialism and its enduring impacts, including epidemics, geographic displacement, attempted cultural genocide, intergenerational trauma, poverty, oppression, violence, and discrimination.
The COVID-19 pandemic, together with limited access to culturally appropriate services, has further highlighted the need for dedicated research on substance use among Indigenous Peoples. This research theme focuses on:
- Strengthening capacity for community-led research and promoting knowledge sharing with First Nations and Inuit communities in Quebec.
- Coordinating training in research ethics, data sovereignty, and other key considerations essential to conducting research that respects Indigenous cultures, values, and priorities.
- Leveraging existing infrastructure to support research projects designed specifically for Indigenous communities.
Theme 4
Partnerships, Inclusion and Engagement
Principal Investigators: Karine Bertrand, Ph.D., and Mélodie Talbot
This cross-cutting theme uses collaborative research approaches to engage stakeholders at every stage of the research process, including people who use drugs, Indigenous Peoples and Elders, peer support groups, clinicians, and decision-makers. It will be integrated across all other research themes to maximize cross-sectoral participation.
Objectives:
- Foster trust and meaningful engagement by promoting cultural safety, diversity, and inclusion, while encouraging reflection on inclusive language to help reduce unconscious bias.
- Ensure meaningful community involvement in setting research priorities and translating research findings into practice.
- Develop a formal framework for evaluating stakeholder engagement that is responsive to the needs and priorities of communities.
CRISM Member
One Network, Connected Across Canada
The CRISM network is built on a strong connection between the National Coordinating Centre and its regional nodes. When you become a member of the CRISM Quebec Node, you automatically join the broader national CRISM network and gain access to opportunities and resources available across Canada. Likewise, all CRISM members are connected to and supported by the regional node with which they are affiliated, whether in Quebec, British Columbia, the Prairies, Ontario, or the Atlantic region. Together, these interconnected networks ensure that members benefit from both national collaboration and regional support tailored to their needs.
What's in it for you:
Quebec Node specific resources and opportunities
Becoming a member of the CRISM Quebec Node is the only way to access the services, resources, and opportunities available through our network. We warmly invite you to complete the membership form and become part of a collaborative community dedicated to advancing substance use research and knowledge mobilization in Quebec.
Access to:
- Quebec member repository;
- National member repository;
- Community partners and the network of people with lived and living experience (PWLE);
- Indigenous community partners;
- Other CRISM partners.
Access to:
- Scholarships;
- Internships;
- Fellowships;
- Quebec Node Research Development Program;
- National Training Program.
- Access to meeting and event space at the CHUM Research Centre (CRCHUM)
- Promotion and registration support for knowledge translation (KT) events:
- Management of event registration platforms;
- Design of promotional materials and development of digital content to support event promotion.
Guidance on the recruitment, engagement, and inclusion of people with lived and living experience (PWLE), as well as access to related tools and resources.
Guidance on the recruitment, engagement, and inclusion of Indigenous communities.
- Specialized tools and resources related to PWLE engagement, Indigenous communities, equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), and other priority areas;
- CollabConnex tools and resources: a collaborative research platform (coming soon);
- National tools and platforms developed and supported by CRISM.
- Promotion of relevant events;
Monitoring and promotion of available funding opportunities;
Opportunities to contribute to strategic projects and collaborative funding applications;
Opportunities to participate in network activities, including peer review committees and advisory committees.
Access to specialized expertise not available within your team:
- Graphic design;
- Knowledge transfer expertise;
- Website management.
National resources and opportunities
Connection Opportunities
Research Tools
Bulletin national CRISM
Research Support
Clinical Trials and Training Platforms
