Healthy Starts
We’re Working to Keep Children and Families Healthy and Out of Hospital
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.
Specialized research groups provide the opportunity for BCCHR scientists and clinicians with similar research interests to connect and collaborate, regardless of their theme affiliations. While each group is supported by at least one theme, researchers can be part of any group from any theme. The Healthy Starts Theme has four specialized research groups: Global Health and Innovations; Origins of Child Health and Disease; Pathways to Healthy Birth; and Vaccines, Infections, and Host Defenses.
Global Health and Innovations
Lead: Matthew Wiens
The Global Health and Innovations Group brings together a range of researchers and clinicians dedicated to global health research. We strive to rapidly adopt innovations in global health and apply them in a local context.
Origins of Child Health and Disease
Lead: Pascal Lavoie
The Origins of Child Health and Disease Group brings together researchers dedicated to understanding how one’s health is determined and modified before birth, in infancy, and in childhood.
Pathways to Healthy Birth
Lead: Sarka Lisonkova
The Pathways to Healthy Birth Group consists of biomedical, clinical, and population health researchers focused on maternal, fetal, infant, and child health.
Vaccines, Infections, and Host Defenses
Lead: Michael Hawkes
The overall objective of the Vaccines, Infections, and Host Defenses Group is to better understand and prevent infectious diseases in children.
Healthy Starts Core Personnel
We support our members in their research activities through networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities, developing new research projects and collaborations, expanding trainee support, and creating new funding opportunities.
Julie Bettinger
Theme Director
Dr. Bettinger is an Investigator at BC Children’s Hospital, Vaccine Safety Scientist at the Vaccine Evaluation Center, and a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at UBC. As Theme Director, she supports activities that bring the theme community together, catalyze new research projects, and support trainees.
Becci Venema
Theme Research Manager
Becci has a Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology, and more than 10 years of experience in conducting, managing, and facilitating research. As Theme Research Manager, she supports both existing and new research through responsive actions and strategic initiatives, as well as overseeing theme administration and finances.
Lab, Project & Program Websites
Find out more about some of the research labs, projects, and programs at BC Children’s Hospital.
Research News
Every day, BCCHR researchers work towards breakthroughs to transform the lives of kids in BC and around the world. Learn about our latest innovations and advancements in child health.
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Collaboration led by BCCHR researchers awarded European funding to improve community-based care in Uganda and Kenya
Read moreDr. Matthew Wiens and colleagues at the Institute for Global Health at BC Children’s & Women’s Hospital, BC Children’s Research Institute, and the University of British Columbia, are the first Canadian Team to lead a Horizon Europe Pillar 2 project. The consortium was recently awarded €5 million under the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking for a project that…
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Mini Med School Prince George
Read moreMini Med School will be on the road for years to come! We want to give as many communities as possible the opportunity to interact with BC Children’s Hospital’s world-class researchers and clinicians. For 2025, Mini Med School BC will be in Whitehorse, Yukon for the first time!
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Women in Science
Read moreJoin us as we celebrate the 2026 International Day of Women and Girls in Science. At BC Children’s Hospital and BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre, we are proud to support the next generation of health scientists. At this unique event, designed specifically for grade 11-12 students, you will have the opportunity to connect with inspiring…
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