Health Research Consulting · Canada & International

Building Evidence,
Method, and
Health Systems.

Nexus Health Research Lab designs rigorous, fundable, and publication-ready research for academic teams, health authorities, and community partners — from evidence synthesis to grant architecture.

Our Services Start a Conversation
19+
Peer-Reviewed Publications
$1.3M+
Grants Co-Led
15+
Years Experience
Uirá (Mia) Duarte Wisnesky
Uirá (Mia) Duarte Wisnesky
RN, PhD · Founder & Principal Researcher
PhD Nursing RN (Canada & Brazil) KT Trained
PhD-trained registered nurse and senior health researcher with 15+ years of international experience in mixed-methods inquiry, knowledge translation, and CIHR-funded research across Canada, Brazil, Sweden, and Portugal.
English Portuguese Spanish
19+
Publications
$1.3M
Grants
3
Languages
Published In
Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem International Journal of Older People Nursing Frontiers in Public Health Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Journal of Medical Internet Research Nurse Education Today BMJ Open Nurse Educator Small Business Economics Innovation in Aging Int. Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship Brazilian Journal of Health Review
Who We Are

Designed for researchers
who need methodological depth.

Nexus Health Research Lab was founded by Uirá (Mia) Duarte Wisnesky, RN PhD — a senior health researcher with 15+ years of international experience spanning nursing, emergency medicine, aging, Indigenous health, and health systems research across four countries.

We work with academic teams, health authorities, non-profit organizations, and Indigenous community partners who need high-level research design, rigorous evidence synthesis, and grant methodology — without hiring a full-time researcher.

Our approach is senior, selective, and relationship-driven. We don't take every project — we take the right ones, and we do them well.

Methodological Rigour
We apply internationally recognized frameworks — JBI, PRISMA, CIHR — to every engagement.
Senior Expertise
Every project is led by a PhD-trained principal researcher, not delegated to junior staff.
Equity & Community Lens
Deep experience in Indigenous health, community-engaged research, and culturally safe inquiry.
Cross-National Reach
Trilingual capacity (English, Portuguese, Spanish) supporting international research collaborations.
Education
PhD in Nursing · Canada
MA, History & Health · University of Évora, Portugal
MSc, Social Sciences · Linköping University, Sweden
BSc in Nursing · Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil
Grant Leadership
Co-Lead — CIHR Women's Health Initiative · $575,350
Co-Lead — CIHR Health Workforce Transformation · $749,163
Co-Applicant — AHS Systematic Review Grant · $15,000
$1.3M+
Total Grants Co-Led & Supported
Peer Review & Editorial
Review Editor — Frontiers in Public Health (Aging)
Peer Reviewer — IAGG World Congress 2017 (54 abstracts)
Peer Reviewer — Canadian Association on Gerontology
Languages
English (Fluent) Portuguese (Native) Spanish (Fluent)
What We Do

Our Services

Five core services. All delivered at senior level. Scoped precisely. No vague deliverables.

01
🔬
Knowledge Synthesis & Evidence Mapping
Rigorous scoping and systematic review design using internationally recognized frameworks — from protocol architecture to publication-ready methods sections.
  • Scoping review design (JBI, PRISMA-ScR)
  • Systematic review protocol architecture
  • Search strategy framework development
  • Evidence and gap mapping
  • Covidence setup and extraction framework
PRISMAJBICovidenceEvidence Synthesis
02
📋
Grant & Protocol Methodology
The methodological backbone behind competitive grant applications. We design rigorous, reviewer-proof methods sections aligned with CIHR, SSHRC, and international funders.
  • Full methods section engineering
  • Mixed-method integration plans
  • KT & implementation framing
  • Sample size & analytic plan
  • Feasibility and risk mitigation sections
CIHRSSHRCGrant WritingProtocol Design
03
🧩
Qualitative & Mixed-Methods Design
Expert design of qualitative and mixed-methods research, from interview guide development to analytic framework construction and rigor audit trails.
  • Interview and focus group guide development
  • Reflexive thematic and framework analysis design
  • Mixed-methods integration strategy
  • NVivo codebook architecture
  • Rigor and audit trail structure
EthnographyNVivoThematic AnalysisMixed Methods
04
📊
Program Evaluation & Knowledge Translation
End-to-end evaluation frameworks and KT strategies that move research from evidence to action — for health systems, community organizations, and funded programs.
  • Theory of change and logic model development
  • Impact measurement and indicators
  • KT plan design (integrated and end-of-grant)
  • Equity-focused evaluation frameworks
  • Policy brief and dissemination strategy
KT StrategyCIHR KTEvaluationLogic Model
05
🎙️
Senior Qualitative Interviewing
Expert-level qualitative data collection for complex or high-sensitivity research involving older adults, Indigenous communities, emergency contexts, or cross-cultural settings.
  • In-depth individual interviews
  • Focus group design and facilitation
  • Sensitive population interviewing
  • Cross-cultural and multilingual fieldwork
  • Field notes and reflexive journaling
TrilingualIndigenous ResearchOlder AdultsEmergency Medicine
Not sure which service fits your need?

Every engagement begins with a no-obligation scoping conversation.

Book a Conversation
"My fee is typically 1–3% of the grant value you're pursuing. No other hire you make has that kind of leverage."
98×
Average ROI on
CIHR grant support
$980K
Avg. CIHR Project
Grant (2025)
How We Work

A structured, transparent process.

No vague deliverables. No scope creep. Every engagement is scoped precisely before work begins.

01
Scoping Conversation
A 30-minute no-obligation call to understand your project, timeline, and what you need. We clarify fit before any commitment.
02
Scope & Proposal
We provide a written scope of work with clear deliverables, timeline, and fixed project fee. No hourly surprises.
03
Design & Delivery
We execute with regular check-ins. Two structured revision rounds are included in every project scope.
04
Review & Transfer
Final deliverable with a walkthrough session. Resubmission support available as a separate defined service if needed.
Selected Research

Published, peer-reviewed,
internationally recognized.

19+ peer-reviewed publications across nursing, emergency medicine, aging, and health systems research.

Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem
Perceptions and experiences of older people with the sit-to-stand activity: An ethnographic pre-feasibility study
Wisnesky, Olson, Paul & Dahlke · 2023
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine
METASTART: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Diagnostic Accuracy of the START Algorithm for Disaster Triage
Franc, Kirkland, Wisnesky et al. · 2021
Frontiers in Public Health
A qualitative assessment of studies evaluating the classification accuracy of personnel using START in disaster triage: A scoping review
Wisnesky, Kirkland, Rowe et al. · 2022
Journal of Medical Internet Research
Academic Electronic Health Record in Undergraduate Nursing Education: A Pilot Study
Kleib, Jackman, Wisnesky & Shamsa · 2021
International Journal of Older People Nursing
Sit-to-stand activity to improve mobility in older people: A scoping review
Duarte Wisnesky, Olson, Paul et al. · 2020
Nurse Education Today
Interprofessional simulation to promote teamwork and communication between nursing and respiratory therapy students: A mixed-method study
Kleib, Jackman & Wisnesky · 2021
View Full Publication List on ORCID  ·  0000-0002-0643-6097
Get In Touch

Start a conversation.

Every engagement begins with a candid, no-obligation scoping conversation. Whether you have a grant deadline approaching, a synthesis project to design, or a KT strategy to build — we'd be glad to hear from you.

Good-fit clients typically need:
  • Senior methodology support for a CIHR or SSHRC grant application
  • A rigorous scoping or systematic review designed from scratch
  • A qualitative or mixed-methods framework for a funded study
  • A KT strategy or program evaluation framework
  • High-quality interviewing for a sensitive or complex population
Email
info@nexusresearchlab.ca
ORCID
0000-0002-0643-6097
Base
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Serving clients nationally & internationally
Languages
English · Portuguese · Spanish

We respond to all inquiries within 2 business days. Initial scoping conversations are always no-obligation.