Introducing Dr. Teresa S.M. Tsang, new executive director at VCHRI

In January 2024, Dr. Teresa Tsang began her five-year term as executive director of the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI). Dr. Tsang has a track record of impactful leadership, both clinical and academic. She is a renowned clinician-scientist and has a deep understanding of the evolving needs of our health care system, as well as the challenges facing our research community. Her training in cardiology and clinical epidemiology, paired with her innovative work in artificial intelligence and health equity position her as a catalyst for transformative change at VCHRI.

Dr. Tsang is passionate about harnessing the power of health data to advance patient care and strengthen health care delivery. She is a highly collaborative leader and is keen to foster talents within our organization to achieve new levels of excellence. She has a strong focus on outcomes and embraces the full breadth of science at VCHRI, from bench to bedside, with an emphasis on developing the best patient-centered care. Dr. Tsang is known for her inclusive approach and her desire to push the envelope. She is eager to work with our community and engage stakeholders across B.C, to develop effective strategies that address our shared challenges.

Q: What are you looking forward to most about your new role?
A: I have had the privilege of working as a part of the VCHRI community for over a decade, and so I have seen first-hand the excellence, commitment and innovative spirit of our people. I also know some of the barriers we face as we develop and execute our research. I am excited to take on the role of executive director to help bring to life our collective vision — a new data-driven organization that positions us to lead in the coming AI era, using technology to reduce inefficiencies and building an innovation pipeline that can translate our groundbreaking work into clinical impact in B.C. There is so much potential for harnessing technology to improve the way we work and the way we care for our patients — from AI supported drug discovery and precision medicine, to clinical trial optimization, predictive analytics, digital health and virtual care. We have the capability to build the tools we need to alleviate some of the administrative burdens and staffing and resource limitations. We aim to implement cutting-edge technologies that extend health services to underserved populations, including those in rural and remote regions.

I know that the staff and faculty at VCHRI work hard every day to improve the lives of our patients through their research and innovations, and I am committed to do whatever it takes to contribute to this mission.

Q: What message would you like to share with research community at Vancouver Coastal Health and the University of British Columbia?
A: My message to the research community is one of unity and purpose. Let us join forces to push the boundaries of knowledge, foster innovative collaborations and translate our discoveries into tangible advancements in patient care. Through collective efforts in clinical domains and across the life sciences, we have the power to drive transformative change in health care. As a community, we will embrace high quality, technologically advanced, data-driven and evidence-based clinical care where research is integrated seamlessly within our clinical environment to inform best practices, reduce inefficiencies and improve outcomes. 

With an exceptional team in place, my commitment is to empower patient-centric research, facilitate discoveries and innovations, attract and nurture top talents in B.C. and foster a culture of open communication and collaboration.

Q: How do you plan to foster research innovation at VCHRI?
A: Innovation is part of the research process. Our researchers embark on their work to answer the questions and solve the problems that clinicians and patients face. Innovation represents those answers, and we need to make sure that there is a robust pathway that delivers these answers into clinical practice or into the commercial enterprise. This requires a comprehensive approach. The next steps to moving innovations forward depend on the context. Fundamental science discoveries might need clinical trial support, or expertise in intellectual property or commercialization. My predecessors, Dr. Robert McMaster and Dr. David Granville, have made great strides in this space and I hope to continue their high impact work, both through partnership with entrepreneurship@UBC and Life Sciences BC, as well as by building in-house capacity. For clinical innovations, prioritizing implementation science, advancing our learning health system and creating pathways for local innovators are imperative. It is disheartening to hear about Canadian innovations seeking foreign markets due to navigational challenges within our system. Much of our research is publicly funded, and failing to implement our discoveries diminishes our return on investment. We need to improve the way we move our discoveries into practice to deliver on the promise of our research. 

Q: What inspires you to lead? 
A: Leadership is a dedication to community service. I am deeply inspired by the transformative impact of research driving innovation in health care, fostering positive change for healthier lives. Collaborating with stakeholders and our vibrant research and clinical communities, we develop strategies and forge partnerships to nurture talents in B.C. At VCHRI, our bold vision integrates cutting-edge research and data-informed, evidence-based care for each patient, every day.  

Q: What is your vision for the future of VCHRI?
A: My vision for VCHRI focuses on advancing research and technology to enable state-of-the-art care for our patients, with a renewed commitment to health equity. Big data and health informatics can significantly contribute to this effort. We will invest in systems, technologies and platforms to optimize the use of health data for decision-making and innovation, improving the quality and outcomes of care while reducing inefficiencies.

We will collaborate closely with the Ministry of Health, Provincial Health Services Authority, First Nations Health Authority and regional health authorities to ensure that VCHRI research efforts address the diverse needs of our population. VCHRI is integral to B.C. health research ecosystem. By strengthening our partnerships with provincial and national organizations, we can identify areas of collaboration and complementarity, avoid duplication and fragmentation and amplify our collective impact. My goal is to embrace a technology-enabled model of research, training and innovation; prioritize data-driven approaches; and foster the model of research-is-care. By broadening the inclusiveness and impact of our health research, we aim to modernize VCHRI’s operations, streamline research workflow and improve patient outcomes and quality of care.

At VCHRI, we acknowledge the pivotal role that research and innovation play in advancing patient care and ensuring the resilience of our health system in the face of evolving challenges. As the research and innovation powerhouse of VCH, we need only to look at the achievements of our own research centers and programs, many of which have reached global impact. We also recognize the immense opportunity before us. Working in a province that prioritizes health care and invests significantly in research and innovation, we are positioned for transformation. The BC Life Sciences and Biomanufacturing Strategy, coupled with streamlined research processes being developed in the province, promise to revolutionize health research in B.C. With a comprehensive approach, we are poised to make a profound difference in the health and well-being of our community.