Study sites: Vancouver | Edmonton | Winnipeg, Morden & Winkler | Toronto
Between 2008 and 2012, the CHILD Study enrolled 3624 pregnant mothers from the general population in four major cities across Canada (Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Toronto) and a small rural population (Morden and Winkler) outside Winnipeg.
Through questionnaires, the submission of biological samples, and in-person clinical assessments, each CHILD site continues to monitor the environment, development and health of the families they recruited (parents and child). In addition to the core CHILD protocol, some sites are conducting additional, specialized studies.
Each Study site is led by a prominent local clinician-scientist with one or more significant institutional affiliation(s), supported by a research coordinator and technical staff. From each site, a participating family serves on CHILD’s National Participant Engagement Committee (NPEC) to ensure the interests and perspectives of participants are represented in Study planning.
Site Leader:
Stuart Turvey
MBBS, DPhil, FRCPC
Vancouver Site Leader & Co-Director, CHILD Cohort Study
Professor, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia
Aubrey J. Tingle Professor of Pediatric Immunology & Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Pediatric Precision Health
Director, Clinical Research, and Investigator, BC Children’s Hospital
NPEC Family:
Robert, Natasha & Max
CHILD’s National Participant Engagement Committee (NPEC) is a group of CHILD participant families (parents and children) who work together to help make the study a positive experience for all families across the country.
L to R in photo (ca. 2021): Robert, Natasha & Max
The Vancouver site of the CHILD Cohort Study recruited 783 mothers who are all participating in the core components of the CHILD Study.
Unique to the Vancouver site: a more in-depth investigation into the impact of “life stress” on healthy development. Mothers in Vancouver were invited to participate in a detailed telephone interview on this topic.
Participating Institutions: The University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, Child and Family Reseach Institute, St. Paul’s Hospital, Women and Children’s Hospital and BC Children’s Hospital.
L to R: Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Erika Sifuentes (Clinical Research Coordinator), Stuart Turvey (CHILD Co-Director & Site Leader).
Site Leader:
Dr. Piush Mandhane
MD, PhD, FRCPC
Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta
Director, Division of Pediatric Respirology, Pulmonary & Asthma, University of Alberta
Pediatric Respirologist
Research Coordinator:
Joyce Chikuma
MSc
Research Coordinator, CHILD Cohort Study
Physician Assistant
NPEC Family:
Tatiana, Reuben & Sara
CHILD’s National Participant Engagement Committee (NPEC) is a group of CHILD participant families (parents and children) who work together to help make the study a positive experience for all families across the country.
L to R in photo (ca. 2021): Tatiana (top), Sara (bottom), Lucas & Reuben
The Edmonton site recruited 808 mothers who are all participating in the core components of the CHILD Study.
Unique to the Edmonton site: the Sleep, Learning, hEalth, and Environment Project-Edmonton (SLEEP-E), a parallel study that CHILD participants were invited to participate in, on the role of sleep disordered breathing and its impact on cognitive growth and development. As infants, participants underwent sleep studies as well as neurodevelopmental testing. In childhood, they used an accelerometer to record activity and sleep duration.
Participating Institutions: University of Alberta; Alberta Health Services: Sturgeon, Royal Alexandra (Lois Hole Hospital for Women) and Stollery Children’s Hospital; Covenant Health: Grey Nuns and Misericordia Hospitals.
Site Leader:
Elinor Simons
MD, PhD, MSc, FAAAAI, FAAP
Pediatric Allergist and Clinical Epidemiologist, Children’s Hospital of Winnipeg
Assistant Professor, the University of Manitoba
Clinician-scientist, the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM)
Research Coordinator:
Scarlet Deluz
MLT, CBDT
Clinical Research Coordinator, CHILD Cohort Study
Biological Laboratory and Bone Densitometry Technologist
NPEC Family:
Eric, Harmoni & Lily
CHILD’s National Participant Engagement Committee (NPEC) is a group of CHILD participant families (parents and children) who work together to help make the study a positive experience for all families across the country.
L to R in photo (ca. 2021): Eric, Harmoni & Lily
The Manitoba sites recruited 1,055 mothers who are all participating in the core components of the CHILD Study.
Unique to the Manitoba sites: a cohort with both a rural (Morden/Winkler) and an urban (Winnipeg) population.
Participating Institutions: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre, Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM), St. Boniface Hospital, Boundary Trails Health Centre.
L to R: Padmaja Subbarao (CHILD Director), Elinor Simons (Site Leader), Scarlet Deluz (Research Coordinator), Joanna, Doug (in back), Thomas, Allan Becker (CHILD researcher & former Site Leader).
Site Leader:
Theo Moraes
MD, PhD, FRCPC
Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto
Senior Scientist, Translational Medicine, Sick Kids Research Institute
Division Head, Respiratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children
Research Coordinator:
Eshwari Nanjappan
BScH, MMASc.
Clinical Research Coordinator, CHILD Cohort Study
Clinical Research Project Coordinator, The Hospital for Sick Children
NPEC Family:
Kat, Brynn & Aaron
CHILD’s National Participant Engagement Committee (NPEC) is a group of CHILD participant families (parents and children) who work together to help make the study a positive experience for all families across the country.
L to R in photo (ca. 2021): Cara, Kat, Brynn & Aaron
The Toronto site recruited 809 mothers who are all participating in the core components of the CHILD Study.
Unique to the Toronto site: in-depth evaluation of lung function trajectories from infancy through childhood.
Participating Institutions: The University of Toronto, Gage Occupational & Environmental Health Unit, The Hospital for Sick Children.
Additional support staff: Chantal Cheung (Research Assistant), Shivani Jadav (Respiratory Therapist), Rachaelle Rabit (Research Assistant).
Top L to R: Theo Moraes (Site Leader), Makiko Nanishi (post-doctoral fellow), Myrtha Reyna Vargas (Biostatistician/PhD candidate), Yaminee Charavanapavan (Research Program Manager), Eshwari Nanjappan (Research Coordinator), Vera Dai (Senior Biostatistician), Tabina Ahmed (MSc candidate), Padmaja Subbarao (CHILD Director). Bottom L to R: Biswajit Chowdhury (Biostatistician [2023-24]), Wei Wei Thwe Khine (post-doctoral fellow), Maria Medeleanu (MD candidate), Olivia Tetreault (Program Coordinator), Rachaelle Rabit (Research Assistant).