Meet Our Team
Team Leads
AMY METCALFE
PhD, P3 Cohort Team Lead
Dr. Metcalfe is an Associate Professor with the Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Medicine and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary. Her research focuses on optimizing the management of chronic disease during pregnancy by: 1) examining the impact of medical management of chronic disease in pregnancy on maternal and fetal health; 2) evaluating the ability of alternative models of prenatal care to improve disease control and obstetrical outcomes; and 3) assessing the risk of long-term disease complications following pregnancy. Underlying this program of research is a focus on validation of existing data sources for use in research and application of novel statistical methods to answer clinically relevant questions
DONNA SLATER
PhD, P3 Cohort Team Lead
Dr. Slater is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Physiology & Pharmacology and Obstetrics & Gynecology, and the Co-Director for Biomedical Sciences Stream in the Bachelor of Health Sciences Undergraduate Program, Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. She is the biobank lead for the All Our Families Project. Her research focuses on the human uterus, to investigate the molecular mechanisms that lead to pregnancy complications such as preterm labour, and the role of inflammatory biomarkers. The lab has developed a number of cell based models for these studies, which can be used to safely test targets for potential new treatments. The long-term goals of the research are to identify and develop better options for the prevention and treatment of preterm labour.
LARA LEIJSER
MD, PhD, MSc, P3 Cohort Team Lead
Dr. Leijser is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Calgary and is a Neonatologist at the Foothills Medical Center and Rockyview General Hospital. Her research interests are in the areas of: 1) brain injury and development, neuroimaging and neurodevelopmental outcomes in vulnerable neonatal populations and 2) adverse outcomes associated with preterm birth. Her current research work focuses on gaining a better understanding of the brain of preterm infants across the gestational age spectrum and subsequent neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes. The overall goal is to improve brain health and outcomes for children and their families by identifying new and more individualized approaches to intervention for common brain injury types (such as intraventricular hemorrhage) and for neuroprotection and prevention
Project Leads
KAREN BENZIES
PhD, RN, Project Lead
Dr. Benzies is a Professor with the Faculty of Nursing, and Adjunct Research Professor with the Departments of Pediatrics and Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. With clinical training as a nurse and midwife, she leads a program of research in early parent and child relationships with a focus on infants at risk for developmental delays She has contributed many important advancements in this area through academic journals, technical reports, media interviews and numerous presentations to community and professional groups. Recent positive results from her adaptation and evaluation of Family Integrated Care (FICare) led to wide-scale implementation in neonatal intensive care units across Alberta and now in China. Dr. Benzies’ most satisfying accomplishments come from creating evidence that accelerates policy and practice changes to improve the health of young children and their families.
KATIE CHAPUT
PhD, Project Lead
Dr. Chaput is an Assistant Professor with the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary. Her area of expertise is in perinatal epidemiology and maternal mental health and substance use in pregnancy. Her research program aims to find modifiable factors that contribute to maternal mental health, and its negative impacts on children, and to develop new interventions to support maternal mental health, as well as to explore the associations between substance use, parenting and child development. Some examples are: identifying how the fetal brain is impacted by depression in pregnancy, in order to develop new treatments in the future, developing and testing a phone-based peer-counselling program to prevent postpartum depression in high risk mothers, and developing a new parenting support program for parents in recovery from addiction. Reducing the prevalence and impact of maternal mental health issues will improve the health of mothers and children in Canada.
NILS FORKERT
PhD, Project Lead
Dr. Forkert is an Associate Professor with the Departments of Radiology and Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Calgary. The focus of his research is to develop and evaluate new image processing methods, algorithms, and software tools for the analysis of medical images. This includes the image-based extraction of clinically relevant parameters and biomarkers describing the morphology and function of organs. In doing so, he aims to support clinical studies and preclinical research as well as developing and improving computer-aided diagnosis and patient-specific prediction models with a special focus on, but not limited to, the human brain. Additionally, he is developing advanced machine learning models for various diseases using multi-modal data sources, not limited to image-based features.
ELIZABETH KEYS
PhD, Project Lead
Dr. Keys is an Assistant Professor with the School of Nursing at the University of British Columbia. Her research interests are in child, youth and mental health, mental health and social determinants of child and youth development.
MARY MALEBRANCHE
MD, Project Lead
Dr. Malebranche is an Assistant Professor with the Division of General Internal Medicine at Dalhousie University. She is an academic general internist and sub-specialist in medical disorders of pregnancy. She has a particular clinical and research interest in reducing barriers to health care access and improving health outcomes for vulnerable populations including refugee women and pregnant women with substance use disorders.
SHEILA McDONALD
PhD, Project Lead
Dr. Sheila McDonald is Lead Scientist of the All Our Families cohort, and a Research Scientist in Maternal Child Health in the Department of Research and Innovation in Alberta Health Services. She is also an adjunct Assistant Professor in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. She has methodological skills in research methods, complex data sets, and longitudinal analysis, and content expertise in maternal mental health, birth outcomes, and child development. She is a co-investigator on a number of provincial and nationally funded research projects in maternal and child health. Her contributions to the field have included development of a psychosocial screening tool for poor maternal mental health using information in the prenatal period, and modeling the impact of life course stress and allostatic load on the risk for poor birth outcomes. Other interests and contributions include work on Adverse Childhood Experiences and childhood resilience.
LAURA SYCURO
PhD, Project Lead
Dr. Sycuro is an Assistant Professor with the Departments of Microbiology, Immunology & Infectious Diseases, Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Calgary. The broad goal of her research program is to harness the microbiome to promote maternal and child health. Her lab is working to advance the precision with which we define the composition of the microbiome and mechanistically link its species and genes to health outcomes. She is studying how select members of vaginal microbiome are able to ascend, remodel the cervix, and gain access to the amniotic fluid. Her research focuses on poorly understood bacteria, including Sneathia and Prevotella species, which are tightly linked to premature birth.
LIANNE TOMFOHR-MADSEN
PhD, Project Lead
Dr. Tomfohr-Madsen is an Associate Professor with the Departments of Psychology and Pediatrics at the University of Calgary. Her lab is investigating ways to intervene and change health trajectories in vulnerable populations. Research is focused on (1) better understanding how maternal adversity is associated with infant and child health problems and (2) testing interventions in pregnancy that aim to reduce maternal stress, anxiety, and insomnia and reduce postpartum mood problems. Research in the lab is also testing whether reducing high levels of maternal psychological distress and insomnia in pregnancy can positively impact pregnancy related and infant health trajectories.
SUZANNE TOUGH
PhD, Project Lead
Dr. Tough is a Professor with the Department of Pediatrics and Community Health Sciences in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary and a MaxBell Foundation Burns Memorial Fund Policy Fellow. She was formerly a Health Scholar supported by Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions. She is the principal investigator of the All Our Families (formerly All Our Babies) cohort and the overall vision of her research program is to optimize birth and childhood outcomes by creating evidence that informs the development of community and clinical programs and influences policy. Dr. Tough has undertaken research in delayed childbearing, reproductive technology, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, preterm birth, prenatal care, maternal mental health and child development.
STEPHEN WOOD
MD, MSc, Project Lead
Dr. Wood is a Professor with the Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary and an Obstetrician Gynecologist at the Foothills Medical Centre. He conducts research in the areas of term and preterm labor, cesarean section and neonatal asphyxia prevention and stillbirth.
Co-Investigators
AYMAN ABOU MEHREM
MD, Co-investigator
Dr. Abou Mehrem is Neonatologist and a Clinical Associate Professor with the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Calgary. His research interests include neonatal resuscitation, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, telemedicine, and health informatics.
SOFIA AHMED
MD, MSc, Co-investigator
Dr. Ahmed is a Nephrologist and Professor with the Department of Medicine at the University of Calgary and is the lead of the Institute’s Women’s Cardiovascular Research initiative, CV&Me. Dr. Ahmed’s research interests are in the areas of sex and gender, hormonal changes and postpartum care.
DAVE ANDERSON
PhD, Co-investigator
Dr. Anderson is an Instructor with the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He is interested in the intersection between molecular functions, biochemistry and evolution. He is focused on the ways in which physical interactions between mutations at different sites (i.e. epistasis) govern the set of evolutionary pathways that are available to a given protein at a given point in its evolutionary history. To investigate this, he has developed a suite of different statistical analysis tools that estimate the effect of distinct mutations on a single quantitative function, which allows for the simultaneous assessment of potential molecular interactions between them.
AMINA BENLAMRI
MD, Co-investigator
Dr. Benlamri is the director of the Calgary Neonatal Follow-up Clinic. She is a Neonatologist and Clinical Assistant Professor with the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Calgary. Her area of expertise is neonatology and developmental pediatrics.
SIGNE BRAY
PhD, Co-investigator
Dr. Bray is an Associate Professor with the Departments of Pediatrics and Radiology at the University of Calgary. She uses functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study learning and cognition, with a focus on cognitive development and the effects of neurodevelopmental disorders on the brain. Her research goals are to apply neuroimaging to better understand how developmental changes in brain architecture affect information processing, and how structural alterations, resulting from developmental disorders, lead to cognitive difficulties. She is also interested in the effects of learning and practice on brain activity, structure and behavior.
MEREDITH BROCKWAY
PhD, Co-investigator
DDr. Brockway is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of Manitoba. Her research interests are in health promotion interventions that contribute to increased breastfeeding rates and maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy.
DAVID CAMPBELL
MD, PhD, Co-investigator
Dr. Campbell is an Assistant Professor with the Departments of Medicine, Community Health Sciences & Cardiac Sciences at the University of Calgary. His area of expertise is social determinants of health and diabetes outcomes.
HELEN CARLSON
PhD, Co-investigator
Dr. Carlson is a Research Assistant Professor of Pediatrics with the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. She is the lead for the Calgary Pediatric Stroke Program Imaging Group and has extensive experience in researching brain neuroplasticity in children with perinatal stroke through multimodal neuroimaging. Dr. Carlson examines pre/post treatment modulations in neural networks and works to explore development of future treatment avenues for kids and families affected by stroke to improve lifelong motor function.
WENDY DEAN
PhD, Co-investigator
Dr. Dean is Professor in the Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy at the University of Calgary, and Director of Biomedical Laboratories at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Dr. Dean combines world-leading expertise in embryology and epigenetics. Her research interests are in the areas of early post fertilization reprogramming and epigenetic mechanisms underpinning normal development and reproduction.
GISELLE DEVETTEN
MD, Co-investigator
Dr. DeVetten is the clinical physician lead with the Lougheed Maternity Group and a Clinical Lecturer with the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Calgary. After residency, she studied tropical medicine at Cayetano Heredia University and currently works with refugees at the Mosaic Refugee Health Clinic in Calgary. She also works at The Alex Youth Health Centre providing care to at-risk youth.
MICHAEL ESSER
MD, PhD, Co-investigator
Dr. Esser is a Pediatric Neurologist at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, the Director of the Pediatric NeuroCritical Care and Translational Research Program and a Clinical Associate Professor with the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Calgary. His main area of research is pediatric brain injury, and the neurobiology of selective cellular vulnerability, and resistance.
ELSA FIEDRICH
MD, Co-investigator
Dr. Fiedrich completed her pediatrics and neonatology training in Edmonton. She has practiced full service pediatrics in Iqaluit, Yellowknife and Red Deer. In 2017, Dr. Fiedrich returned to neonatology in Calgary and has a special interest in neonatal follow-up and developmental pediatrics. Dr. Fiedrich is the Medical lead for Southern Alberta Neonatal Transport Service Outreach Education Program to support regional centres’ neonatal education. She is the proud mother of a vivacious toddler.
SUSAN GRAHAM
PhD, Co-investigator
Dr. Graham is a Professor with the Department of Psychology at the University of Calgary and Director of the Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, which is dedicated to studying neurodevelopmental disorders and child mental health. Her research program examines child development with specific focus on delineating the interactive trajectories of early language, cognitive, and social-cognitive development. The research examines how young children form and use concepts to organize their words. It also examine how children become effective communicators, taking other speakers’ perspectives and emotions into account.
MYRIAM HEMBERGER
PhD, Co-investigator
Dr. Hemberger is a Professor with the Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Medical Genetics. She is the Program Director for Precision Medicine and Disease Mechanisms Program and holds a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Developmental Genetics and Epigenetics. A key focus of her research is on studying the impact of the placenta on healthy development, in particular during the earliest stages of pregnancy when key steps in formation of the placenta take place.
LEONORA HENDSON
MD, Co-investigator
Dr. Hendson is a Clinical Associate Professor with the Department of Pediatrics. Her research is on developmental trajectories of high risk neonates in and after the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The Neonatal Follow-up Clinic assesses populations at high risk of neurodevelopmental difficulties, provides an audit/quality improvement function, and assists families and health care providers through assessment and audit.
ERIN HETHERINGTON
PhD, Co-investigator
Erin Hetherington is a CIHR postdoctoral fellow at McGill University in the Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational health. Her research focuses on social factors that contribute to inequalities in maternal and child health in marginalized populations. Erin’s work includes the analysis on large scale administrative data as well as the evaluation of programs and health care systems innovations to improve perinatal health outcomes.
JO-ANN JOHNSON
MD, Co-investigator
Dr. Johnson is a Maternal Fetal Medicine Physician with the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Medical Imaging at Foothills Medical Centre, and Professor with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is the Medical Director for the Early Risk Assessment Program. Her research interests are in the areas of maternal health, pregnancy and prenatal diagnostics.
CATHERINE LEBEL
PhD, Co-investigator
Dr. Lebel is an Associate Professor with the Department of Radiology and an Adjunct Associate Professor with Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary. She is the Program Director for the Child Brain and Mental Health Program and the Canada Research Chair in Pediatric Neuroimaging. Her research uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study brain development in children and adolescents. Using a variety of MRI techniques, she studies how brain structure and function change with age, or in response to treatments and interventions. The aim of her research is to better understand brain changes, with the ultimate goal of providing earlier identification and more effective treatments for children with developmental disorder.
SCOTT McLEOD
MD, Co-investigator
Dr. Scott McLeod is a Developmental Pediatrician and Clinical Assistant Professor within the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Calgary. Clinically, he works within the Neuromotor Clinic at Alberta Children’s Hospital seeing children and youth with cerebral palsy. His research interests include facilitating the early detection and diagnosis of cerebral palsy.
CARLY MCMORRIS
PhD, Co-investigator
Dr. McMorris is an Assistant Professor with the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary. Her research focuses on improving the health and well-being of children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), such as autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, and cerebral palsy.
DEBORAH McNEIL
PhD, Co-investigator
Dr McNeil is the Scientific Director for the Maternal Newborn Child and Youth Strategic Clinical Network at Alberta Health Services and Adjunct Associate Professor in the Faculty of Nursing and the Department of Community Health Sciences in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. Deb led research departments in Alberta Health Services for close to 20 years using integrated knowledge translation to generate and mobilize scientific evidence for practice and decision making. She has expertise in a variety of research approaches including epidemiology, qualitative research, implementation science, synthesis and systematic evidence reviews. Her research interests include Family Integrated Care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Perinatal Depression and Anxiety, Childhood Immunization, Health Equity and the Social Determinants of Health. Deb is a board member of the National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools.
ALEKSANDRA MINEYKO
MD, Co-investigator
Dr. Mineyko is the Pediatric Neurology Program Director, Neurologist with the Pediatric Neurocritical Care Program, and Clinical Associate Professor with the Department of Pediatrics and Clinical Neurosciences. Her area of research interests is in the use of biomarker technology to determine pathophysiology of pediatric neurological diseases such as perinatal stroke and pediatric vasculopathy.
KHORSHID MOHAMMAD
MD, MSc, Co-investigator
Dr. Mohammad is a Staff Neonatologist at Alberta Health Services, Calgary Zone, and a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. In 2014, Dr. Mohammad established the Neonatal Neuro-Critical Care program in Calgary in collaboration with Pediatric Neurology. Dr. Mohammad is a founding member of the Sonographic Clinical Assessment of the Newborn (SCAN) program. Dr. Mohammad’s main areas of interest are innovation in education and Quality Improvement. Dr. Mohammad established a neonatal brain monitoring simulation lab including cranial ultrasonography phantoms and simulators, Neonatal EEG simulator, Neonatal neurological exam using Virtual reality, and smart phones applications. He developed several teaching modules in Neonatal Neurology and organized several conferences, workshops, and courses in Neonatal Neuromonitoring. Dr. Mohammad’s quality improvement work led to significant reduction in mortality and brain injury in extremely premature infants and term infants suffering from asphyxia and seizure. Dr. Mohammad’s areas of research interest are education, brain perfusion, monitoring, and Quality Improvement neuroprotection strategies.
KARA NERENBERG
MD, MSc, Co-investigator
Dr. Nerenberg is an Associate Professor with the Departments of Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary, and a General Internist working in Obstetrical Medicine at the Foothills Medical Centre. Her clinical and research interests are in the epidemiology and prevention of cardiovascular disease in post-partum women with pregnancy-related complications (preeclampsia, gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes).
KHARAH ROSS
PhD, Co-investigator
Dr. Ross is a Health Psychologist and an Assistant Professor with the Department of Psychology at the Athabasca University. She has a specialization in maternal-child health and psychoneuroimmunology, or the study of the connections between psychosocial states (e.g. stress, close relationship quality) and immune activity. Her research encompasses three broad areas: (1) Close relationships and health, (2) Health disparities at the intersection of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status, and (3) Understanding normative physiological activity during pregnancy, the postpartum period and early childhood.
CYNTHIA SEOW
MBBS (Hons), MSc, FRACP, Co-investigator
Dr. Seow is a Gastroenterologist and an Associate Professor with the Departments of Medicine and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary. Her research interests include the effect of chronic disease, specifically, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) on maternal and infant outcomes. She has a dedicated research registry and biorepository.
AMY SHAFEY
MD, MSc, Co-investigator
Dr. Shafey is a Neonatologist and Clinical Assistant Professor with the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alberta. She has received her Masters in epidemiology for her work on the experiences of fathers in a FICare program. She has an interest in family integrated care and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants.
HUSSEIN ZEIN
MD, MSc, Co-investigator
Dr. Zein is a Neonatologist and the Medical Site Lead of the NICU at the Rockyview General Hospital. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor with the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Calgary. His area of interest is in neuroinflammation and preterm birth injury. He is the Lead of the Preterm Brain Injury Working Group in Calgary.
Collaborators
FARAH BANDALI
RD, BSc, MSc
Ms. Bandali is the Director of Healthy Children and Families Department, Healthy Living, Provincial Population and Public Health in Alberta Health Services with over 19 years of health-related experience working in a variety of roles and settings from clinical to population and public health. Ms. Bandali has led a number of health promotion and disease prevention areas with local and provincial scopes such as community development, public participation, childhood obesity prevention, school health promotion and population and public health nutrition. Currently, she is responsible for leading provincial program areas addressing preconception to children 18 years of age and their families. Healthy Children and Families will apply the results from the P3 Cohort research program and will facilitate dissemination of the findings to program areas across the maternal and child continuum of care in order to benefit initiatives that work to improve the health of Albertans.
SIMRIT BRAR
MD
Dr. Simrit Brar is an Obstetrician Gynecologist at Foothills Medical Centre and Clinical Assistant Professor with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Calgary. As the Medical Informatics Lead for Women’s Health in the Calgary Zone for the Alberta Health Services, Dr. Brar has been involved in the development of Connect Care, which is a new integrated electronic medical record that is being implemented in hospitals and AHS clinics across the province.
JULIO GARCIA FLORES
PhD
Dr. Garcia Flores is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Radiology at the University of Calgary. His research focuses on cardiovascular 4-dimensional flow (4D Flow) imaging. He has developed biomedical imaging technologies to assess heart valve disease, aortopathies, pediatric and adult congenital diseases. He leads the larger 4D Flow program in Canada at the Stephenson Cardiac Imaging Centre.
RAYLENE REIMER
PhD, RD
Dr. Reimer is a Registered Dietician, a Professor with the Faculty of Kinesiology and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and the Associate Dean Research for the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary. Her research is focused on understanding the full potential of nutrition to prevent and treat obesity and type 2 diabetes. Her research spans basic science aimed at determining the mechanisms through which diet, particularly during pregnancy and early post-natal life affects the risk of chronic disease, through to human clinical studies evaluating the effectiveness of dietary interventions aimed at modifying the gut microbiota. The long-term goal of her work is to identify novel nutritional therapies to prevent and treat chronic disease.
XING-CHANG WEI
MD, MSc, FRCPC
Dr. Wei is a Pediatrics Neuroradiologist at the Alberta Children’s Hospital and Clinical Associate Professor with the Department of Radiology, University of Calgary. As a collaborator with the role of inflammation in brain injury and development of preterm infants project, he will share his expertise on brain magnetic resonance imaging and assessments of the acquired magnetic resonance images.
Research Staff
JANICE SKIFFINGTON
MSc, Research Manager
Janice is the Research Manager for the P3 Cohort, and works for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Calgary. She has a Master of Science degree from the University of Manitoba and is published in the areas of perinatal health as well as avian behavioral ecology. Outside of work, Janice enjoys spending time in nature, hiking, singing and spending time with her family.
INDIRA ALVAREZ
MSc, Research Assistant
Indira is a Research Assistant for the P3 Cohort, and works for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Calgary. She has a Master of Science degree from McGill University. She has been involved in research areas such as: the study on neural correlates of perceptual awareness, and memory reconsolidation blockade to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Outside of work, Indira enjoys reading and working with cold porcelain clay as well as spending time with her family.
AMY BERGERON
RN, BScN, Research Nurse
Amy is the Research Nurse for the P3 Cohort and REDUCE-I research studies. Amy’s passion is in women’s health. She first was introduced to research nursing when she had the opportunity to join the REDUCED Trial team and work towards decreasing cesarean section rates in first time moms across Alberta. Outside of research, Amy’s practice has been in maternal fetal medicine through fertility nursing, primary care, in addition to labour and delivery nursing. Outside of work, Amy enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and baking bread!
CHRISTINE CALLAGHAN
BSc, Research Assistant
Christine is a Research Assistant for the P3 Cohort and works for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Calgary. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of British Columbia and has previously worked in the areas of environmental consulting and resource management. Outside of work Christine enjoys spending time with her family and friends, heading outside to enjoy nature, or relaxing with a good board game or sewing project.
SHAZIA DHARAMSI
BSc, Research Assistant
Shazia is a Research Assistant for the P3 Cohort, and works for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Calgary. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) with a major in Health Promotion and a minor in Chemistry. She also has her Clinical Medical Assistant Certification and has previously worked as a Contact Tracer/Case Investigator for COVID-19, a Research Assistant at the UTEP School of Nursing, and a Phlebotomist at the UTEP School of Pharmacy. Outside of work, Shazia enjoys spending time in nature, baking, hiking, and being with her family.
SELMA LOW
MSc, Research Assistant
Selma is a Research Assistant for the P3 Cohort, and works for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Calgary. She has a Master of Science degree in Ecology from the University of Alberta, and has previously worked as a science educator and environmental consultant. Outside of work, Selma enjoys exploring the outdoors with her family, reading, and indoor climbing.
CHLOE PEKARSKY
BHSc, Social Media Coordinator
Chloe is the Social Media Coordinator for the P3 Cohort. She has a Bachelor of Health Sciences at University of Calgary. Previously she has worked as a camp counsellor, a ski instructor and a cashier at Canadian Tire. In her free time, Chloe can be found skiing, hiking, camping, paddling (she paddled for 40 days down the Mackenzie River) or cheering on the Edmonton Oilers.
NIKKI STEPHENSON
PhD
Nikki is an epidemiologist with the P3 Cohort. Nikki’s doctoral research was centered around identification of developmental trajectories for children born before term, and understanding how parenting and childcare influence those trajectories
ROZANNE STRYDOM
Program Coordinator
Rozanne is a Program Coordinator for the P3 Cohort and the Alberta Provincial Surveillance Program for Moderate to Severe Neonatal Hypoxic-ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE). She works for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Calgary. Previously, Rozanne worked in education. She has lived many lives in South Africa, Hong Kong, California, Fort McMurray and Calgary. Outside of work, Rozanne can probably be found getting lost somewhere with her dog, Boris.
SELPHEE TANG
BSc, Data Management Advisor
Selphee is the Data Management Advisor for the P3 Cohort. She works for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Calgary Neonatal Follow-up Clinic. She provides data analysis and data management support for research and quality improvement projects with a focus on perinatal health and outcomes of infants born very premature or extremely low birth weight. Outside of work, Selphee enjoys knitting, singing in a choir, and spending time with family.
MELINDA WANG
MD, Lab Research Technician
Melinda is a Lab Research Technician for the P3 Cohort. She works in Dr. Slater’s lab as part of the Department of Physiology & Pharmacology at the University of Calgary. Melinda started her professional career as an MD in China before moving into scientific research. With over 30 years research experience in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, she has worked in infantile spasms, autism, concussion, and Alzheimer research. Melinda is passionate about science and research and thoroughly enjoys learning about different cultures and their food, and meeting new people.
Trainees
ANA D’AUBETERRE
MSc student
Ana completed her Bachelor of Science in Immunology and Infection (Honors) at the University of Alberta with a certificate in Biomedical Research. She is currently a Masters student co-supervised by Dr. Laura Sycuro and Dr. Antoine Dufour, investigating the interactions between vaginal bacteria and the innate immune system to understand the causal factors behind preterm birth.”
SHAZIA DHARAMSI
MSc student
Shazia is a Masters student with Dr. Amy Metcalfe at the University of Calgary, studying the effects of social disparity on maternal and child health outcomes. She is also a part-time Research Assistant for the P3 Cohort. Shazia has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) with a major in Health Promotion and a minor in Chemistry.
ANNA FUNK
PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Anna Funk did her MSc (Infectious Disease control) at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and her PhD (Clinical Epidemiology) at the Sorbonne Universite – Pasteur Institute in France. She is interested in emerging infectious diseases and their impact on women and children. Since 2020 she has studied severe SARS-coV-2 and long COVID in children, for which she collaborates with the WHO as an expert and working group member. Anna is currently a postdoctoral fellow supervised by Dr. Amy Metcalfe and will explore the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on participants in the P3 cohort.
KAREN LITHGOW
BSc, PhD
Dr. Karen Lithgow obtained her BSc in Immunology & Infection from the University of Alberta and a PhD in Biochemistry & Microbiology from the University of Victoria. During her PhD, Dr. Lithgow investigated the molecular pathogenesis of the syphilis bacterium, Treponema pallidum. As a postdoctoral fellow in the Sycuro Research Group at the University of Calgary, Dr. Lithgow’s research aims to advance our understanding of women’s health by investigating how the vaginal microbiome impacts sexual and reproductive health outcomes.
SOPHIE SMITH
BHSc, MSc
Sophie is completing a Master of Science under the supervision of Dr. Donna Slater at the University of Calgary. She is interested in identifying serum biomarkers predictive of preterm birth. Sophie has a Bachelor of Health Science (Honors) from the University of Calgary. Sophie is also an avid backpacker and enjoys spending time in the mountains. She also enjoys cooking, reading, and is learning how to crochet.
JAMES WONKYU JUNG
MSc, Doctoral student
James WonKyu Jung completed his Honours Bachelor of Science in psychology at the University of Toronto in 2018, and recently received his MSc in Clinical Psychology at the University of Calgary in 2023. He is currently a PhD student in Clinical Psychology at the University of Calgary where he is part of the Healthy Families Lab under the supervision of Dr. Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen and Dr. Deinera Exner-Cortens. James’ current research is funded by SSHRC and AGRI.
James’ research interests focus on scaling up access to evidence-based maternal mental health supports via web- and mobile-based platforms. Specifically, he is interested in how to enhance the level of engagement with programs delivered via digital platforms and identifying facilitators and barriers for utilizing digital resources, to enhance adherence and subsequent mental health outcomes. James has also worked in numerous projects with efforts to increase mental health human resource through training of nurses and peers in manualized psychotherapy.
EILIDH WOOD
BSc, MSc student
Eilidh is a MSc student in Dr. Slater’s lab in the Department of Physiology & Pharmacology at the University of Calgary. Eilidh has a Bachelor of Science degree from Queen’s University and she is currently studying the mechanisms of preterm labour.