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CIRN NETWORKS
Supporting Infrastructures
Reference Laboratory Network (RLN)
The Reference Laboratory Network (RLN) serves as a support network to CIRN’s fi ve core infrastructure networks.
Under PCIRN, the RLN established standardized, cross-validated infl uenza assays to provide Canada with additional
capacity to measure infl uenza immunity during a pandemic. The RLN also manages a sample archive of sera and
other biological samples collected through the CIRN infrastructures and accessible to investigators for future studies.
The RLN is active in 5 cities across Canada: Vancouver (2 sites), Montreal, Quebec City and Halifax. The network
will continue to manage the sample archive and coordinate the matching of laboratory capabilities from participating
academic and public health laboratories with CIRN project needs. Currently, the RLN also provides support for the
sero-epidemiology project as well as lab support for the Serious Outcomes Surveillance Network projects.
Social Sciences and Humanities Network (SSHN)
SSHN enhances CIRN’s ability to address societal issues in all proposed projects and serves as a hub for social
science and humanities-focused research generated by CIRN. SSHN strongly focuses on vaccine hesitancy, a topic
of great debate in both academic and non-academic circles. The network links Canadian social scientists and
humanities researchers who have expertise and interest in the ethical, legal, and social implications of vaccine
programs.
Mapping vaccine hesitancy in Canada is designed to provide a contextualized understanding of vaccine hesitancy
and its determinants at the macro and the micro levels in Canada. Vaccine Hesitancy in Canadian Parents is
designed to develop an instrument to measure the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy across Canada and to monitor
vaccine hesitancy online using digital detection. SSHN members also collaborated with the CTN and CANVAS
network when an institutional outbreak of meningococcal B disease led to a mass immunization program, to
implement a study of knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to the 4CMenB vaccine. The network also plans to
broaden the membership in order to engage more social scientists and humanities researchers who are interested in
immunization research.
Modeling and Economics Research Network (ModERN)
The focus of ModERN is to conduct epidemiological analyses, mathematical modeling, and economic analyses to
study the cost-effectiveness and population-level effectiveness of public health interventions. ModERN’s current
project is Measuring social and sexual contacts patterns in Canada to improve the control of infectious
diseases. Valid representation of social contacts and mixing patterns is essential for models to appropriately
predict the spread and control of an infectious disease during an outbreak and herd immunity post-program
implementation. ModERN also provides crossover support to the sero-epidemiology (iCARE) project. The network
links experts in infectious diseases, sexually transmitted infections, health inequalities, vaccine hesitancy, immigrant
health, epidemiology, public health, biostatistics, and modeling and health economics. ModERN’s goal for next year is
to develop and validate material for data collection and begin the data collection across Canada.
Canadian Immunization Research Network (CIRN) RN)
Canadian Immunization Research Network (CI
Supporting Infrastructures
Reference Laboratory Network (RLN)
The Reference Laboratory Network (RLN) serves as a support network to CIRN’s fi ve core infrastructure networks.
Under PCIRN, the RLN established standardized, cross-validated infl uenza assays to provide Canada with additional
capacity to measure infl uenza immunity during a pandemic. The RLN also manages a sample archive of sera and
other biological samples collected through the CIRN infrastructures and accessible to investigators for future studies.
The RLN is active in 5 cities across Canada: Vancouver (2 sites), Montreal, Quebec City and Halifax. The network
will continue to manage the sample archive and coordinate the matching of laboratory capabilities from participating
academic and public health laboratories with CIRN project needs. Currently, the RLN also provides support for the
sero-epidemiology project as well as lab support for the Serious Outcomes Surveillance Network projects.
Social Sciences and Humanities Network (SSHN)
SSHN enhances CIRN’s ability to address societal issues in all proposed projects and serves as a hub for social
science and humanities-focused research generated by CIRN. SSHN strongly focuses on vaccine hesitancy, a topic
of great debate in both academic and non-academic circles. The network links Canadian social scientists and
humanities researchers who have expertise and interest in the ethical, legal, and social implications of vaccine
programs.
Mapping vaccine hesitancy in Canada is designed to provide a contextualized understanding of vaccine hesitancy
and its determinants at the macro and the micro levels in Canada. Vaccine Hesitancy in Canadian Parents is
designed to develop an instrument to measure the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy across Canada and to monitor
vaccine hesitancy online using digital detection. SSHN members also collaborated with the CTN and CANVAS
network when an institutional outbreak of meningococcal B disease led to a mass immunization program, to
implement a study of knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to the 4CMenB vaccine. The network also plans to
broaden the membership in order to engage more social scientists and humanities researchers who are interested in
immunization research.
Modeling and Economics Research Network (ModERN)
The focus of ModERN is to conduct epidemiological analyses, mathematical modeling, and economic analyses to
study the cost-effectiveness and population-level effectiveness of public health interventions. ModERN’s current
project is Measuring social and sexual contacts patterns in Canada to improve the control of infectious
diseases. Valid representation of social contacts and mixing patterns is essential for models to appropriately
predict the spread and control of an infectious disease during an outbreak and herd immunity post-program
implementation. ModERN also provides crossover support to the sero-epidemiology (iCARE) project. The network
links experts in infectious diseases, sexually transmitted infections, health inequalities, vaccine hesitancy, immigrant
health, epidemiology, public health, biostatistics, and modeling and health economics. ModERN’s goal for next year is
to develop and validate material for data collection and begin the data collection across Canada.
Canadian Immunization Research Network (CIRN) RN)
Canadian Immunization Research Network (CI
