Benedikt  Fischer, CIHR/PHAC Research Chair, MSFHR Senior Scholar Career Investigator, Director of CARMHA

Professor

CIHR/PHAC Research Chair, MSFHR Senior Scholar Career Investigator

Biography: 

Benedikt Fischer, PhD, obtained his doctorate in Criminology at the University of Toronto (1998). Subsequent to his doctorate, he was a Research Scientist and Section Co-Head at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, and held faculty appointments in the Department of Public Health Sciences and at the Centre of Criminology, University of Toronto. Following a faculty appointment at the University of Victoria (2006 – 2008), Dr. Fischer joined the Centre for Applied Research in Addictions and Mental Health (CARMHA) and the Faculty of Health Sciences as Professor in September 2008. He currently holds a CIHR/PHAC Research Chair in Applied Public Health and is a MSFHR Senior Scholar Career Investigator. He is furthermore an Affiliate Scientist with the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) and a Senior Scientist with CAMH. Dr. Fischer is a member of the Institute Advisory Board of the CIHR Institute for Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INHMA), as well as a member of the Science Advisory Board of the Mental Health Commission of Canada.

Research Interests: 

Dr. Fischer’s main fields of research interests include: psychoactive substance use; marginalized/vulnerable populations; infectious disease (primarily Hepatitis C Virus); crime and criminal justice; public/population health; social determinants of health, with a strong interest in policy/program development. His research commonly integrates multiple methods and disciplines, e.g. involves both quantitative and qualitative methods, and/or integrates expertise from the basic, clinical or social sciences to aid problem focused research enquiries. His current main research activities include: - the development of a public health framework for cannabis use control; - a research program on the epidemiology, morbidity/mortality and drug diversion related to non-medical use of prescription opioids in different populations; Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) incidence, prevention and treatment models for drug using populations; - the social epidemiology of and interventions for crack use; brief interventions and treatment for high-risk substance use. Dr. Fischer currently holds research funding for the above listed and other research areas from CIHR, Health Canada, the BC Ministry of Health, the Vancouver Island Health Authority, and other funders. He is also a co-investigator in several CIHR-funded Strategic Training Initiatives in Health Research (STIHR) programs focusing on the above areas of research.

Publications and Activities