The Research Institute of St. Joe’s Hamilton is an academic and research community focused on improving the quality of life for our patients and community members, as well as those diagnosed with a diverse range of medical conditions around the world.

We function as a scientific community for the good of our community and the world we share. As faculty members of McMaster University, our world-class researchers work alongside local clinicians and students – fostering a culture of exploration, innovation and inquiry at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.

Research at St. Joe’s occurs across five pillars:

• Mental Health & Addiction
• Lungs & Chest
• Father Sean O’Sullivan Research Centre (FSORC)
• Kidney
• Genitourinary

The Research Institute at St. Joseph’s Hamilton works alongside the Imaging Research Centre (IRC) providing the research community with access to cutting-edge imaging technology.  Staffed with highly-trained personnel, the IRC conducts research spanning from clinical trials to basic science. The IRC is home to a state-of-the-art, research-dedicated 3T MRI scanner, and a PET/CT scanner that is used clinically and for research.  The IRC serves as a nexus of imaging expertise, collaborating with researchers from across Hamilton, and southern Ontario. For more information, visit:

Imaging Research Centre – St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton (stjoes.ca)

RSJH has an extensive psychiatry group who are committed to innovation in the field of mental health.

Lead by Dr. Gary Chamowitz, the Head of the Forensic Psychiatry Program (FPP) at St. Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton and Academic Lead of the Forensic Psychiatry Division at McMaster University, his team has developed innovative techniques and equipment to advance mental health research and patient care.  The FPP located at the West 5th campus holds a number of impressive tools including an rTMS system, virtual reality software and headsets, robotic systems used to improve patient care and mental health, as well as bioinformatics and risk prediction data in mental health. The electronic-Hamilton Anatomy of Risk Management (eHARM), developed by Drs. Chaimowitz and Mamak, is an innovative cloud based violence risk assessment tool that not only guides the determination of an individual’s risk status, but also ensures that treatment and service provision is person centered, targeting an individual’s unique needs to reduce targeted behaviours. https://www.forensicpsychiatryinstitute.com/ais-harm/