Principal Investigators
Thiviya Selvanathan, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor in Department of Pediatrics at UBC
Pediatric Neurologist at BC Children’s Hospital
Investigator at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute
Dr. Selvanathan is a physician scientist with clinical and research training in Neonatal Neurology and Neonatal Neuroscience who is dedicated to understanding the complexities of the developing brain to enhance child health outcomes. With expertise in advanced neuroimaging methods, Dr. Selvanathan, investigates how early-life factors, such as brain injury and neonatal intensive care unit exposures, impact brain maturation in high-risk infants. Dr. Selvanathan’s research aims to fill critical gaps in understanding brain development and to translate findings into improved clinical care and interventions, ultimately promoting brain health and neurodevelopment in vulnerable infants.
For a list of publications, please visit Dr. Selvanathan's bibliography.
Steven Miller, MD, MAS
Professor and Head, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia
Chief of Pediatric Medicine at BC Children’s Hospital & Sunny Hill Health Centre
Affiliate Professor, Department of Pediatrics at the University of Toronto
Adjunct Senior Scientist at SickKids Research Institute
Dr. Steven Miller is a physician scientist with clinical and research expertise in neonatal brain injury and development. Collaborating with a multidisciplinary team, Dr. Miller’s research program focuses on better understanding brain injury and development in newborns. He and his team utilize advanced brain imaging and detailed long-term follow-up to help children who were born early or with conditions that put them at risk of neurological and developmental deficits. Dr. Miller has contributed significantly to our understanding of brain abnormalities caused directly by premature birth, perinatal asphyxia, or indirectly by congenital heart disease. His work aims to improve clinical care and interventions, ultimately promoting brain health and neurodevelopment in vulnerable infants.
For a list of publications, please visit Dr. Miller's bibliography.
Lab Members
Steven Ufkes
Lab Manager & Bioinformation
Steven completed his Master’s degree in the Department of Physics at the University of Toronto. He performs brain image analysis with a focus on diffusion and functional MRI. He is passionate about high-performance computing, using a range of techniques including deep learning and graph theory analysis.
Isha Sekhon
Research Assistant
Isha completed her MSc in Nutrition and Metabolism from Boston University and is currently pursuing an online MPH with a focus on Health Equity. She is dedicated to addressing health disparities and promoting equitable healthcare access, with a passion for early life development and the impact of social determinants of health. Currently, Isha is supporting research that aims to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes in high-risk infants.
Rochelle Chauhan
Research Assistant
Rochelle Chauhan is a research assistant at the Miller lab. She holds a Master of Science degree in Rehabilitation Sciences from UBC, where her MSc thesis explored how physical and social activities can improve recovery in youth with concussions, reflecting her deep passion for neuroscience and its practical applications. Her interests lie in exploring how various factors impact brain health and development, contributing to better outcomes for individuals facing neurological challenges. She believes that prioritizing brain health and development is essential for enhancing quality of life, and participating in research that has the potential to make a difference is deeply meaningful to her.
Caroline Kim
Caroline is a 3rd year medical student at UBC and completed her BASc in Applied Mathematics and Computer Engineering at Queen's. Caroline's current research focuses on using DTI to understand how critical illness impacts the long-term brain and neurodevelopment of children born preterm. She is interested in employing neuroimaging, machine learning, and advanced statistical techniques in clinical research. She hopes to study how early-life brain injury, critical illness, and surgical interventions impact long-term developmental trajectories.
Rahul Vivek
Rahul is a 4th year undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree at UBC majoring in neuroscience. As part of the Selvanathan research team, he is working on his graduation capstone project looking at the impact of brain injury on brain maturation in a cohort of very preterm neonates. His research interests include pediatric development, community and caregiver health, and cellular neuroscience. Rahul also spends his time at BC Children’s hospital as a Child Life in-patient volunteer. Outside of BC Children's, Rahul enjoys travelling to new countries (currently having visited 28) and spending quality time with his friends and family.
Victoria Rapos
Postdoctoral fellow
Victoria recently completed her PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of British Columbia. Her dissertation focused on understanding neural activity and behaviours associated with a daily task of collision avoidance in children with and without developmental coordination disorder. Now as a postdoctoral fellow, Victoria’s research focuses on understanding the structural and functional relationship between the cerebellum and cortical regions in preterm-born infants. Specifically, does prematurity and NICU stays impact the structural integrity of the cerebrocerebellum connections; subsequently motor outcomes at 8 years of age.