The goal may sound simple that research should benefit everyone, but it often begins with assumptions about an “average” person and overlooks how sex, gender, race, disability, geography, language, income, and other intersecting factors shape health and access to care. Choices made in preclinical research, including which models are studied and which outcomes are measured, can also affect how well findings apply across populations. What about the systemic barriers that shape who participates in research, whose knowledge is valued, and ultimately, what we gain from research.
Too often, these barriers may exclude or disadvantage First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples, racialized individuals, African, Caribbean and Black communities, persons with disabilities, women, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, Francophones, rural populations, immigrants, and people experiencing social or economic marginalization. Their exclusion often reflects how research systems are designed, whose priorities receive attention, and whether participation is made accessible and meaningful. When these inequities are left unaddressed, research can reinforce existing health disparities and produce evidence that does not serve the full diversity of the population.
To begin addressing these inequities in the brain-heart research space, the BHI embeds Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Social Justice (IDEAS) across our entire research ecosystem; from how research is designed and conducted to how it is shared and used. At its heart, this means recognizing that research is stronger when it is informed by the diverse expertise, experiences, and needs of the people it is intended to serve, and most particularly those who are often under-served. But knowing that IDEAS matters is one thing; knowing where to start and how to meaningfully put it into practice is another. It can often feel daunting, even for those committed to doing research differently.
To make IDEAS more accessible and approachable in practice, we are introducing the IDEAS Spotlight Series: a space for sharing how IDEAS is being put into practice across the BHI. Through conversations with researchers, trainees, people with lived and living experience, communities, and other partners, the series will highlight the people, partnerships, and perspectives helping to build more inclusive, equitable, and relevant brain-heart research.
The Spotlight Series will demonstrate IDEAS in action through four interconnected channels:
Podcasts will inspire, highlighting the people behind IDEAS through interviews and conversations. Coming this fall, we’ll hear from BHI researchers who are already integrating IDEAS into their work, sharing real examples of what this can look like in practice and showing that meaningful integration does not have to feel a significant undertaking.
Social networking and community-building activities will foster connection, creating inclusive opportunities for networking, relationship-building, and collaboration. We’ve already been putting this into practice, including a successful social BBQ that brought BHI trainees and other interested students together to meet and build connections.
Blogs will drive reflection, creating a space for engagement, dialogue, peer-learning, and interdisciplinary exchange. Upcoming blogs will explore topics including interview-style pieces on co-production and reflections from patient partners, offering a closer look at the perspectives that shape brain-heart research through reflective writing. Stay tuned to learn how your perspectives can be highlighted in future blog posts.
Finally, seminars will support continuous learning, with upcoming opportunities to explore topics such as unconscious bias.
Together, these channels will offer different ways to discover, connect, reflect, and learn, enabling the BHI community to apply IDEAS practices across research teams, environments, and processes.
Above all, the IDEAS Spotlight Series is designed to be a collaborative, community-driven space where BHI members can share their voice, contribute their stories, and help shape the conversations around brain-heart research. Every person has a story that can change how others think about research. Perhaps a knowledge user changed the direction of a project, working across disciplines challenged an assumption, or sharing your lived experience with a brain-heart condition sparked a new research perspective. These stories may not fit neatly into an academic paper, but they can hold valuable lessons about what happens when different forms of knowledge come together. We encourage our BHI community to help shape the conversation around brain-heart health by sharing your experiences, perspectives, and ideas through the IDEAS Spotlight Series!
Stay tuned in November for one of the first episodes!
Better Research Starts with Better Questions: Two Researchers’ Journeys into Equity-Centred Science
In the inaugural two-part IDEAS in Action: Brain-Heart Spotlight Series, moderator Alex Pham speaks with Dr. Manisha Kulkarni and Dr. Yan Xu about how paying closer attention to people, context, relationships and the real-world consequences of research decisions can lead to better research. Drawing on two different research journeys, clinical science and population and global health, the conversations show how IDEAS can emerge organically across the research spectrum, even when researchers don’t call it IDEAS but are intentionally committed to meaningful engagement with populations most affected.
From November 2026 to January 2027, we will also feature two blogs from our very own BHI community members about equity-centred co-production. Stay tuned for more details.
Want to get involved? Please contact Marie-Katherine (Kate) Waller to learn more about contributing to the IDEAS Spotlight Series.