Research Themes

Brain, Behaviour & Development

We bring together neuroscience, mental health and child development researchers through basic, clinical, population and public health research. We care for children with complex medical, physical, developmental and mental health needs, and lead national initiatives such as Networks of Centres of Excellence.

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Childhood Diseases

Childhood Diseases includes Groups that are focused on studying childhood diseases and disorders. There is a specific focus on understanding mechanisms of health versus disease, as well as identifying and testing new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

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Evidence to Innovation

We are health care innovators. Our team of clinicians and scientists are developing new health care technologies, improving patient care, advancing the safe and effective use of drugs, developing new methods of health data analytics, and shifting health system attitudes and behaviours to improve the health care and well-being of children and families. Together with the patients we serve, we are leading initiatives to inform health care policy and practice.

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Healthy Starts

Our overarching goal is to keep children and families healthy and out of the hospital by preventing lifelong health challenges and chronic diseases that are rooted in early childhood. We are passionate about furthering research into how a child’s family life and environment impact their health, shedding light on healthy childhood development before and after birth, and improving child health worldwide through innovation, advocacy, education, and capacity building.

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Recent News See all

How MRI innovation is helping researchers understand brain health in preterm babies

A new MRI approach shows how very preterm babies' brains use oxygen, offering fresh insight into how breathing support in the NICU might impact long-term brain health.

Continue reading How MRI innovation is helping researchers understand brain health in preterm babies

A new dawn for Childhood CNS tumours: Q&A with Dr. Sylvia Cheng

For Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we sat down to talk to Dr. Cheng about her work and what the future looks like for children with central nervous system tumours.

Continue reading A new dawn for Childhood CNS tumours: Q&A with Dr. Sylvia Cheng

Rethinking fetal alcohol spectrum disorder for an equitable diagnosis and support to patients

A group of clinician-researchers have raised concerns about the term used to diagnose alcohol exposure in the womb — fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) — and the requirement of a diagnosis to provide patients who show neurodevelopmental impairments with access to supports and funding.

Continue reading Rethinking fetal alcohol spectrum disorder for an equitable diagnosis and support to patients

Congratulations to the 2025 Outstanding Achievement recipients

The Outstanding Achievement Award recognizes the remarkable accomplishments of our trainees in research aimed at improving the health and well-being of children and families. Generously funded by the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, this program plays a pivotal role in acknowledging and nurturing excellence within our research community. Each year, awards are given to trainees whose research skills and analytical abilities demonstrate strong potential to contribute meaningfully to the scientific community.

Continue reading Congratulations to the 2025 Outstanding Achievement recipients

When it comes to health, the gut has skin in the game

Dr. Bruce Vallance’s team has been working to better understand the role that the gut microbiome plays in maintaining intestinal health and how it impacts disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). What they’ve found is that the composition of bacteria in the gut plays a key role, not just in gut health, but in many different diseases and other parts of the body like the skin.

Continue reading When it comes to health, the gut has skin in the game

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We believe there’s nothing we can’t do with your support. It can take years to turn scientific breakthrough into new interventions and treatments. Funding helps speed the pace of change. When given the resources, we can bring transformative therapies – and hope – out of the laboratory and into the clinic to save and improve children’s lives.

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