Our vision, mission and strategic plan
Vision
Leading the improvement of musculoskeletal health for patients across their lifespan through research and education.
Mission
To enhance the musculoskeletal health of Albertans by focusing our efforts on a “precision medicine” approach to research: tailoring the right intervention for patients at the right time.
McCaig Institute Strategic Plan 2021-2026
The focus of the 2021-2026 strategic plan is to support excellence in research and education that can be translated to impact for our community.
McCaig Institute Strategy
Research Platforms
Mobility for Life Project
The Mobility for Life Project is a cohort study that will create a platform for musculoskeletal (MSK) health research and foster interdisciplinary collaborations.
Centre for Mobility and Joint Health
The Centre for Mobility and Joint Health features state-of-the-art imaging, movement assessment and diagnostic equipment that can be used for clinical trials, clinical assessments or research studies.
Biomechanics Lab
The McCaig Institute Biomechanics Lab supports the next generation of biomechanics researchers by providing equipment and expertise that will take their programs to the next level.
Education Strategy
Goal: Create future leaders in bone and joint health that have multidisciplinary training integrating MSK specific basic science and clinical knowledge
- Create educational opportunities with MSK specific content ranging from short courses to full training programs.
- Provide educational opportunities on emerging areas of expertise and areas critical to graduate student success.
- Create opportunities for trainees to interact with medical students, residents, and fellows in key MSK musculoskeletal health research areas.
- Develop a new program linking proposed clinical challenges and problems from clinical members (residents, fellows and clinicians) to graduate students.
Research Strategy
Goal: Build a comprehensive platform to facilitate transdisciplinary MSK research that will have a global impact
- Engage researchers across multiple departments, institutes, and faculties to participate in the Mobility for Life Project.
- Provide funding to support transdisciplinary research and facilitate creation of team grants that support research priorities within the McCaig Institute.
- Provide opportunities for formal and informal mentorship with institute members (academic & clinicians) that support their career goals and research programs.
- Invest in projects and develop strategic partnerships that leverage data collected through the Mobility for Life Project and MoJo to facilitate research in emerging areas.
- Explore business models and facilitate funding applications to leverage data and support research infrastructure in the Mobility for Life Project, Centre for Mobility and Joint Health, and Biomechanics lab.
- Develop strategic partnerships (academic, government, and industry) that support sustainable operations of core facilities.
Impact Strategy
Goal: Translate research into impact for the community through clinical translation, knowledge translation, and commercialization.
- Identify clinical pilot projects that are being piloted and support development of plans to scale and spread programs across the province.
- Support research projects that have commercial potential that would benefit from investment.
- Disseminate information about important topics in bone and joint health research and elevate the profile of the McCaig Institute.
- Develop a formal framework for working with the Bone and Joint Health Strategic Clinical Network (BJHSCN) to facilitate translation of research into clinical practice.
- Develop a communication strategy to attract partnerships and funding based on outcomes.
- Create a mechanism for continually identifying, collecting, and documenting impact of research.
- Integrate impact stories into existing communications strategies and create a culture of celebrating the impact of research.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Create a culture of inclusion and actively work to overcome structural, social, and cultural barriers.
Transdisciplinary Research
Bring together researchers from different disciplines to drive discovery and innovation.
Strategic Partnerships
Foster partnerships with industry and community to support strategy.
Clinical Engagement
Build new and existing clinical partnerships to expand multidisciplinary teams.
Patients
Engage with community members to inform and enhance Institute strategy.