Thomas Kerr

Thomas Kerr is a Professor in the Division of Social Medicine at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Medicine, where he serves as Head of the Division and Director of the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use. His work bridges academic research with practical public health interventions to address substance use issues.

Dr. Kerr's research focuses on substance use, harm reduction, drug policy, injection drug use, and public health approaches to the opioid crisis. His work particularly emphasizes evidence-based interventions to improve health outcomes for people who use drugs, with growing attention to Indigenous health perspectives and safer supply programs. He has pioneered research on supervised consumption sites, overdose prevention strategies, and structural barriers to healthcare access for marginalized populations.

Analysis of Dr. Kerr's publication record reveals a consistent focus on harm reduction strategies, with particular emphasis on supervised consumption facilities, safer supply programs, and evidence-based drug policy. His work spans both clinical interventions and broader policy frameworks, often incorporating social determinants of health perspectives. Recent publications increasingly address the intersection of Indigenous knowledge systems with overdose response and safer supply models.

• Martin M. Hoffman Award for Excellence in Research (2016)
• Governor General of Canada's Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2013)
• CIHR Inaugural Population and Public Health Research Milestones Initiative Award (2011)
• Drug Policy Alliance's Alfred R. Lindesmith Award for Achievement in the Field of Scholarship (2011)
• CIHR National Knowledge Translation Award (2007)

Dr. Kerr has supervised numerous graduate students, including Alexa Norton (PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies researching safer supply programs) and Jennifer Lavalley (PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies focusing on Indigenous overdose responses). His research has secured substantial funding from CIHR and other major health research organizations, supporting large-scale studies on harm reduction interventions and drug policy reform. He leads multidisciplinary research teams that include epidemiologists, social scientists, clinicians, and community partners.

As Director of the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Dr. Kerr oversees a major research and implementation hub focused on evidence-based approaches to substance use. His work directly informs provincial and national policy development, particularly during the ongoing toxic drug crisis in Canada.