The HIV Prevention Lab stands in solidarity with the University’s Indigenous community and ongoing efforts by the Yellowhead Institute to change the name of Ryerson University. The reference to Ryerson University’s namesake, Egerton Ryerson, serves to glorify Canada’s colonial history and further perpetuates the intergenerational trauma of Indigenous peoples. We encourage students, faculty, and staff to read the open letter written by Indigenous students at X University.
With Pride Month upon us, this is also an important time to acknowledge and highlight the health disparities and inequities that exist within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. A recent Canadian research report highlights the unique experiences of Indigenous trans, two-spirit, and non-binary people that negatively impact their health and wellbeing, particularly high rates of violence, harassment, and social exclusion. Importantly, the report also highlights the unique strengths and resiliency of Indigenous trans, two-spirit, and non-binary individuals and communities. As a part of Pride Month, we encourage community members to stand in solidarity with and advocate for the racialized, trans, non-binary, and two-spirit members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community who continue to experience disproportionate levels of discrimination, oppression, and marginalization.
Statement on Anti-Racism Action
The HIV Prevention Lab acknowledges the violent and tragic history of racism and colonialism as well as the ongoing oppression of Black, Indigenous, and other people of colour. We also acknowledge that both science and academia are complicit in these systems of racism and oppression. We commit to respond with anti-racist action, including:
- Actively recruiting and supporting Black, Indigenous, and other people of colour in our lab.
- To conduct research examining the role of racism and colonialism in the lives of people who are Black, Indigenous, and/or other people of colour.
- To conduct intersectional analyses that examine how racism and colonialism interact with other oppressive systems such as homophobia and sexism in the lives of gay, bisexual, queer, and other men who have sex with men who are Black, Indigenous, and/or people of colour.
- To mandate training among lab members on anti-racism and anti-colonialism, and to mandate that we discuss how to implement this knowledge to improve our research and clinical practices.
Studies with ongoing recruitment

Sexual Confidence – RCT
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Completed Studies

The Not So Micro Study
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Project THRIVE+
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GQ Arousal Study
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GPS Implementation Science
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Gay, Bi, Queer Men’s Sexual Pain Study
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Positive Sleep Study
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GPS: Gay Poz Sex
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Recent News and Events
Addressing loneliness among sexual minority men
As loneliness and social isolation become increasingly pervasive, Dr. Shayna Skakoon-Sparling is focussing on how they affect gay, bisexual and queer men (GBQM). A postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Trevo [...]
Read More...New research suggests scaling up HIV testing and prevention among gay and bisexual men
The study compares data on the prevalence of HIV and STI testing in Canada’s largest cities Reports from public health agenices suggest that half of the HIV diagnoses in Canada are among gay a [...]
Read More...Researchers find HIV PrEP use less than optimal among men in three large Canadian cities
Researchers analyzed data collected between February 2017 and August 2019 in a study called Engage. The analysis was based on data collected from each participant at one point in those years.
Read more...Struggles still remain for 2SLGBTQIA+ people
A piece in thestart.com by Prof. Trevor Hart, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts.
Read more...Upcoming PHAC Survey of service providers on the impact of COVID-19 on access to and delivery of STBBI-related services including harm reduction services in Canada│ Enquête à venir de l’ASPC auprès des fournisseurs de services sur l’incidence de la COVID
Le français suit. Dear Colleagues, The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) wants to better understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on access to and delivery of STBBI pre [...]
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Addressing loneliness among sexual minority men
As loneliness and social isolation become increasingly pervasive, Dr. Shayna Skakoon-Sparling is focussing on how they affect gay, bisexual and queer men (GBQM). A postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Trevor Hart’s HIV Prevention Lab, Dr. Skakoon-Sparling has received a $99,800 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Insight Grant to examine the modern context of online and…
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New research suggests scaling up HIV testing and prevention among gay and bisexual men
The study compares data on the prevalence of HIV and STI testing in Canada’s largest cities Reports from public health agenices suggest that half of the HIV diagnoses in Canada are among gay and bisexual men. They are also 131 times more likely to contract HIV than other Canadian men. A recent study co-authored by psychology professor and public…
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Sexual Health Research Nurse
Department: HIV Prevention Lab, Department of PsychologyPosition supervisor: Dr. Trevor HartContract length: 12 monthsHours of work per week: 36.25Position type: Full-timeRate of pay: $66,000 per annum About Ryerson At the intersection of mind and action, Ryerson is on a transformative path to become Canada’s leading comprehensive innovation university. Integral to this path is the placement of equity, diversity and inclusion as…
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Researchers find HIV PrEP use less than optimal among men in three large Canadian cities
Researchers analyzed data collected between February 2017 and August 2019 in a study called Engage. The analysis was based on data collected from each participant at one point in those years.
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Struggles still remain for 2SLGBTQIA+ people
A piece in thestart.com by Prof. Trevor Hart, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts.
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Upcoming PHAC Survey of service providers on the impact of COVID-19 on access to and delivery of STBBI-related services including harm reduction services in Canada│ Enquête à venir de l’ASPC auprès des fournisseurs de services sur l’incidence de la COVID
Le français suit. Dear Colleagues, The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) wants to better understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on access to and delivery of STBBI prevention, testing, treatment, and harm reductions services. You are receiving this email because you play an important role in Canada’s response to STBBI. PHAC is launching a COVID-19…
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Peer-enabled platform challenges outmoded idea of what it means to be a man
Ryerson’s Social Ventures Zone welcomed tethr this summer, a peer-enabled app for men to connect and offer one another support as men’s mental health data shows distressing trends. Read the full article here.
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CIHR Qualitative Postdoctoral Fellowship
Call for Applications The CIHR Engage Cohort Study is recruiting for a 2-year Postdoctoral Fellow to begin as soon as possible. The primary focus of this position will be to support Engage qualitative research activities related to understanding the direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19 on the health of sexual and gender minority men in…
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In support of Conversion Therapy Prohibition Legislation in Canada
Dear colleagues, We are requesting signatures from university researchers, academics, and public policy experts in Canada for an open letter that calls on all levels of government and professional regulatory bodies to take action by passing legislation and/or policies to prohibit the practice of “conversion therapy” in Canada. You can view the open letter and…
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Why are Men Who Have Sex With Men Still Banned From Donating Blood?
ANALYSIS: Health Canada has reduced the ban on blood donations from men who have sex with men to three months. But some experts say that what’s really needed is an entirely new approach. Dr. Trevor Hart featured in TVO By Jake Pitre – Published on June 10, 2019 Click HERE to read the the article.
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Dr. Trevor Hart in the 2019 Sarwan Sahota Lecture Series: Sexual Health Research for Sexual Minority Men
2019 Sarwan Sahota Ryerson Distinguished Scholar Lecture: Trevor Hart Wednesday, October 30th at 12-2 pm. Topic: Sexual Health Research for Sexual Minority Men. Register by October 28 at bit.ly/ru-hart-lecturebit.ly/ru-hart-lecture
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Dr. Trevor Hart Featured on Armchair Expert Podcast
Live: Dan Savage. Episode 127 – August 1, 2019 (at 119:00 or 1 hour 59 minutes) https://armchairexpertpod.com/pods/dan-savage
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Substance use, condomless anal sex, and STI outcomes among MSM who do and do not use PrEP: Preliminary results from the Engage Study
Presentation by Dr. Trevor Hart at CAHR 2019 in Saskatoon. Download the presentation file here.
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Equal the health care playing field
Huffingtonpost.ca June 20, 2019 Psychology professor Trevor Hart, director of the HIV Prevention Lab, comments on U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris introducing a bill that would make an anti-HIV drug more accessible and affordable. Click here to read the article.
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Meet ABCT’s Featured Lab
The HIV Lab was featured in the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) on June 5, 2019. Click HERE to view the ABCT Featured Lab.
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BEYOND LOCAL: More than one in 10 Canadians want to be in an open relationship. Do you?
(Soo Today (Online)) Date: May 06, 2019 Features research co-authored by Prof. Trevor Hart, Department of Psychology, FA. More than one in 10 Canadians would like to be in an open relationship, according to our recent study of 2,003 Canadian adults. Read the full article HERE.
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Sarwan Sahota award recognizes two top scholars
Trevor Hart and Mehrab Mehrvar honoured for their research on sexual health and water.
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UBC Study Finds 1 in 10 Canadians Want To Be In Open Relationships
Huffington Post Features research co-authored by Dr. Trevor Hart. “In the survey of about 2,000 people between the ages of 18 and 94, 12 per cent said described their “ideal relationship type” as an open relationship, which involves having more than one romantic or sexual partner. But only four per cent said they were currently…
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Dr. Hart receives the Sarwan Sahota Distinguished Scholar Award from Ryerson University.
This award is for outstanding contributions to knowledge or artistic creativity in their area(s) of expertise while employed at Ryerson.
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More Canadians want open relationships than are actually in them, research shows.
VANCOUVER—More Canadians want to be in open relationships than are actually in them, according to new research from the University of B.C. and Ryerson University. By Tessa Vikander Star Vancouver. Click HERE to read the full article.
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