New This Month
Remembering Dr. Ariane Alimenti (June 12, 1960 – Feb 8, 2026)
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Ariane Alimenti — a beloved colleague, gifted clinician, inspiring teacher, and leader who transformed care for women and children living with HIV.
Since joining us in 1999, Dr. Alimenti dedicated her career to compassionate, pioneering care at the Oak Tree Clinic and contributed nationally to perinatal HIV research and education. She championed programs like Camp Moomba and supported countless families with unwavering commitment.
We will remember her elegance, warmth, love of travel and salsa dancing, and the balance she brought to life.
Our hearts are with her husband, Dr. Jean‑Pierre Chanoine, her daughters Manuelle and Camille, and her grandchildren.
Her legacy lives on in the communities she uplifted. She will be profoundly missed.
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Celebrating Resident Doctors Appreciation Week | Feb 9 – 13, 2026
Happy 2026 Resident Doctors Appreciation Week to our amazing UBC Pediatric residents and fellows!
You are an essential part of our pediatric community — learning, growing, and providing exceptional care across our distributed sites across the province.
Thank you for the late nights, the early mornings, the difficult conversations, and the countless moments of care that make all the difference. 
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2025 John McNeill Excellence in Health Research Mentorship Award | Dr. Bruce Vallance
Congratulations to Dr. Bruce Vallance on receiving the 2025 John McNeill Excellence in Health Research Mentorship Award from UBC!
This prestigious award recognizes Dr. Vallance’s deep commitment to fostering the professional and personal development of early-career researchers — shaping the next generation of leaders in health research.
Dr. Vallance’s research on microbe-host interactions and the gut microbiome is advancing our understanding of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. He is the lead of Gut4Health and holds the CHILD Foundation Chair in Pediatric Gastroenterology, he’s not just conducting groundbreaking research — he’s inspiring and mentoring the researchers who will continue this vital work.
Congratulations, Dr. Vallance!
The Vallance Lab:
https://www.bcchr.ca/vallance-lab
The John McNeill Excellence in Health Research Mentorship Award:
https://health.ubc.ca/awards-scholarships/john-mcneill-excellence-health-research-mentorship-award
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INTERNATIONAL CONSENSUS: A Statement on Referral and Selection for Pediatric Lung Transplantation
A landmark international consensus published in The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation (JHLT) is shaping the future of pediatric lung transplantation by establishing the first global criteria for referral and candidate selection. It is supported by the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT).
Led by Dr. Nicholas Avdimiretz of BC Children’s Hospital and Dr. Don Hayes of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, this work brings together the expertise of 25 specialists worldwide to help pediatric providers identify transplant candidates earlier, optimize referral timing, and standardize evaluation for children with advanced lung disease.
Discover how these new guidelines are advancing pediatric care around the world.
Read the full article: https://www.jhltonline.org/article/S1053-2498(25)02199-0/fulltext
Published: December 2025
New ISHLT Document on Referral and Selection of Pediatric Lung Transplant Candidates
https://www.ishlt.org/about/news-detail/2025/10/08/new-ishlt-document-on-referral-and-selection-of-pediatric-lung-transplant-candidates
ISHLT Consensus Statement on the Referral and Selection of Pediatric Lung Transplant Candidates
https://www.ishlt.org/education-and-publications/standards-guidelines-detail/ishlt-consensus-statement-on-the-referral-and-selection-of-pediatric-lung-transplant-candidates
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LEADERSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT: Dr. Emilie Jean-St-Michel, Head, Division of Cardiology | Department of Pediatrics, UBC & BCCH
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Emilie Jean‑St‑Michel has assumed the role of Head, Division of Cardiology, effective February 2, 2026.
Originally from northern Quebec, Dr. Jean‑St‑Michel brings extensive clinical, academic, and leadership experience to this role. Her background includes a Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology and Health Care Research from the University of Toronto, a medical degree from McGill University, and advanced fellowship training in pediatric cardiology and pediatric heart failure/transplantation at SickKids, where she later served as a staff pediatric cardiologist for eight years.
During her time at SickKids, she held key leadership roles—including Chair of the Labatt Family Heart Centre Innovation Fund Project Selection Committee and Chair of the Competence Committee—while contributing to education, mentorship, and CIHR‑funded research initiatives.
Since relocating to British Columbia in 2022, Dr. Jean‑St‑Michel has expanded pediatric cardiology services in northern B.C. at UHNBC and supported inpatient care at BC Children’s Hospital as a locum cardiologist. Most recently, she served as Deputy Head of Pediatrics at UHNBC.
We also extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Martin Hosking for his dedicated leadership as Interim Head since May 2025, and to Dr. Shubhayan Sanatani, who led the Division from 2015 to 2025 with remarkable vision and commitment.
We are grateful for the continued partnership of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation and the generosity of its donors, whose support strengthens child health care, research, and training.
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Jean‑St‑Michel to her new role as she leads the next chapter in exceptional pediatric cardiac care.
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Congratulations to Dr. Saleem Razack on His Appointment as Dean
A heartfelt thank you to Dr. Saleem Razack, Professor in the Division of Critical Care, as he prepares to begin his new role as Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University this fall.
Since joining us in 2023, Dr. Razack has made a significant impact as a pediatric intensivist, educator, researcher, and Strategic Plan Pillar Three Co‑Lead. He also served as a Ches Scholar and Senior Faculty Advisor for REDI with the Faculty of Medicine. In 2025, he was recognized nationally with the AFMC President’s Award for Exemplary National Leadership.
We are deeply grateful for his mentorship, leadership, and commitment to equity and transformative change.
Congratulations, Saleem — we wish you every success in this next chapter.
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Inspiring the Next Generation of Scientists: Women+ in Science 2026
Grade 11–12 students across BC and the Yukon now have two exciting ways to take part in Women+ in Science 2026!
Join the presentations in‑person on February 11th at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, or virtually on February 12th for inspiring science, discovery, and career exploration.
Dr. Genelle Lunken is featured as one of the virtual session keynote presenters, where she will share her insights as a leader in pediatric research and dietetics.
A heartfelt thank you to all participating research teams, trainees and mentors who generously invest their time and passion to support and guide future scientists. Your leadership helps spark curiosity and opens new pathways for young learners across our province and the Yukon.
Learn more and register: https://bcchr.ca/women-in-science
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Dr. Magdalena Janus, Sunny Hill BC Leadership Chair in Child Development
We’re pleased to welcome Dr. Magdalena Janus to UBC as the Sunny Hill BC Leadership Chair in Child Development!
An internationally recognized developmental scientist, Dr. Janus brings expertise in early childhood development and is best known for co-developing the globally used Early Development Instrument (EDI).
Her appointment is made possible through a partnership between UBC Faculty of Medicine, Sunny Hill Health Centre, and UBC HELP, with support from BC Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Leading Edge Endowment Fund (LEEF).
Learn more about her groundbreaking work and what this means for child development research in BC.
Link to full post: https://www.med.ubc.ca/news/dr-magdalena-janus-named-sunny-hill-bc-leadership-chair-in-child-development
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Welcome Dr. Mia Sethna!
We’re excited to welcome Dr. Mia Sethna as our new Undergraduate Program Director in Pediatrics!
Dr. Sethna brings extensive experience in medical education, mentorship, and pediatric hospital medicine.
A heartfelt thank‑you to Dr. Erin Peebles for her leadership and dedication to strengthening undergraduate pediatric education. Wishing her all the best in her new role at UBC CHES!
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Celebrating Commitment and Service in the Department of Pediatrics
Congratulations to the 173 staff and faculty from the Department of Pediatrics, UBC & BCCH who celebrated a service milestone in 2024.
We are deeply grateful for your years of dedication, hard work, and commitment to supporting children, families, and our community.
Long Service Recognition for 2025 milestones kicks off in March this year at the Staff Appreciation Breakfast at C&W.
Image: Dr. Zaneta Lim (left) and Ms. Myomi Chu (right) celebrated their 10-year service milestones with the Department of Pediatrics, UBC & BCCH.
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Important update on HIV prevention in Canada
New HIV infections continue to occur each year, and updated guidance is now available to support effective prevention. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Pan-Canadian Network for HIV/AIDS and the sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBI) Clinical Trials Research group have released revised guidelines on pre‑exposure (PrEP) and post‑exposure (PEP) prophylaxis.
These new guidelines update the 2017 clinical indications and recommended drug regimens, reflecting the latest evidence in HIV prevention.
Notably, this is the first set of PrEP guidelines to include a dedicated youth perspective. Dr. Tatiana Sotindjo from BC Children’s Hospital was the only pediatric and youth‑focused provider involved in the working group and her contributions were essential to ensure the recommendations address the unique needs of young people.
Read the full guidelines: https://www.cmaj.ca/content/197/41/E1374
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New Canadian Paediatric Society Guidelines: Blood Transfusion Strategies for Preterm & Critically Ill Newborns
Did you know that minimizing blood loss in preterm and critically ill newborns starts at birth?
A new position statement led by Drs. Souvik Mitra, Emer Finan and Deepak Manhas provides evidence-based guidance on reducing blood loss and transfusions in preterm and critically ill newborns.
Full statement: https://cps.ca/en/documents/position/minimizing-blood-loss-in-newborns
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Celebrating 2025: A Year of Growth, Achievement, and Progress
As 2025 draws to a close, members from the Department of Pediatrics have much to celebrate.
This year, together, we achieved remarkable milestones:
– Welcomed 63 new faculty members (3 Academic, 60 Clinical)
– Celebrated 15 faculty promotions (4 Academic, 11 Clinical)
– Honoured 173 long-service milestones across the department
– Increased research funding by 59% over the past five years
– Maintained strong CaRMS matches across all program sites
– Expanded medical student rotation opportunities
We also made significant progress toward our Vision 2028 priorities, see: https://pediatrics.med.ubc.ca/about/our-strategic-direction/
Thank you for an inspiring year. I look forward to continued growth and collaboration in 2026.
Wishing you a joyful holiday season and a happy new year!
Steven Paul Miller, MDCM FRCPC FRSC FCAHS
Head, Department of Pediatrics, UBC & BCCH
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UBC Honours Dr. Judith Hall Among Trailblazing Women in Medicine
As part of UBC FoM’s Year in Review, Dr. Judith Hall was featured as part of their spotlight on Celebrating changemaking women in the Faculty of Medicine.
Professor Emerita Dr. Judith Hall joined UBC in 1981 as professor of medical genetics in charge of the clinical unit, helping to develop standards for clinical genetic services locally and around the world. Dr. Hall has identified a number of previously unrecognized syndromes, and her research into congenital anomalies has helped to clarify medical understanding of how folic acid helps reduce birth defects and to define Arthrogryposis. She was Head of the Department of Pediatrics at UBC and BC Children’s Hospital from 1990 to 2000 and served as president of the American Pediatric Society and on the council of International Pediatric Association. Dr. Hall was a founding member of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and served on the United Nation’s Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, the management committee of the Canadian Genome and BC Genome programs, and the American National Center for Human Genome Research. Her many awards and recognition include induction as an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, a member of the Royal Society of Medicine. Dr. Hall was inducted into the Canadian medical Hall of Fame in 2015.
Learn more about the incredible women featured in the changemaking series.
Original post: https://www.med.ubc.ca/news/celebrating-changemaking-women-in-the-faculty-of-medicine
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Celebrating Excellence: Dr. Hal Siden Receives Prestigious National Award for Pediatric Palliative Care
Congratulations to Dr. Hal Siden!
On Dec 16, 2025, Dr. Siden was awarded the 2025 Pediatric Award of Excellence from the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA), Canada’s Pediatric Care Alliance (CPPCA) and the Canadian Network of Palliative Care for Children (CNPCC),
This award recognizes Dr. Siden’s extraordinary leadership, vision, and impact on pediatric palliative care in Canada and across the globe.
For more than three decades, Dr. Siden has been a driving force behind transformative change in the care of infants, children, and youth facing serious illness. As the Medical Director of Canuck Place Children’s Hospice (CPCH) since 2001, his leadership helped shape Canada’s first pediatric hospice into a world-renowned centre of excellence. His role later expanded to include Pediatric Palliative Care at BC Children’s Hospital, PainCare 360, and broader palliative care programs throughout the province.
Please join us in celebrating this incredible achievement!
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UBC Researchers Make Global Impact: 15 Breakthroughs Highlighted in 2025
From breakthroughs in organ transplantation to raising awareness about the risks of space junk, UBC researchers and partners captured global attention and sparked important conversations this year.
Earlier this month, UBC Today featured 15 research highlights—including contributions from Drs. James Lim, Rebecca Deyell and Laura Sly—showcasing how knowledge, technology, and real-world solutions advanced in 2025.
Explore the 15 highlights:
https://ubctoday.ubc.ca/news/december-12-2025/15-ways-ubc-researchers-broke-new-ground-2025
Drs. James Lim, Rebecca Deyell –
Researchers develop new way to match young cancer patients with the right drugs:
https://news.ubc.ca/2025/04/proteomics-reveals-helpful-drug-for-rare-pediatric-cancer/
Dr. Laura Sly –
A digestive ‘treasure chest’ shows promise for targeted drug treatment in the gut:
https://news.ubc.ca/2025/05/inflammatory-bowel-disease-treatments-glycocaging/
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Outstanding Mentorship Recognized: Drs. Lori Tucker and Jaime Guzman Awarded UBC Science Co‑op Supervisor Award
Congratulations to Drs. Lori Tucker & Jaime Guzman from the Division of Rheumatology on each receiving the 2025 UBC Science Co‑op Supervisor Recognition Award for their outstanding leadership, mentorship & teaching.
Members from the Division of Rheumatology have partnered with UBC’s Co‑op program over the years and many former students have gone on to become physicians, nurses, OTs, PTs & researchers.
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Driving Innovation in NICU Care: WHRI Awards Dr. Sandesh Shivananda for BPD Prevention Research
On Dec 4, 2025, he was awarded the inaugural Leveling Up: Women’s and Newborn Health Research Action Grant from the Women’s Health Research Institute (WHRI) to study Neonatal interventions to prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia (NIP-BPD).
Babies born extremely early — before 29 weeks of pregnancy — are among the most delicate patients in the hospital. Nearly six in ten either die or develop a serious chronic lung condition called bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).
This grant competition is intended to fund the next phase in the research discovery pipeline and provides support for a previously pilot-tested women’s and/or newborn’s health research project involving a) screening or diagnostic tools; or b) treatment interventions. These tools/interventions must have proof-of-concept pilot data and be ready to advance to the next stage of empirical testing, or a larger-scale trial, or scale-up, or implementation.
Congratulations Dr. Shivananda!
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Dr. Lynn Straatman (November 28, 2025)
We mourn the passing of Dr. Lynn Straatman (Nov 28, 2025), a cherished colleague, mentor, and leader. As Clinical Assistant Professor at UBC, Medical Director of the Heart Function Clinic at VGH, and associate member in the Division of Adolescent Health & Medicine, she dedicated her career to compassionate care. Dr. Straatman championed youth transitioning to adult services and she also served at Canuck Place Children’s Hospice. Dr. Straatman will be remembered for advancing cardiology, palliative medicine, and equity in healthcare. Her legacy of healing, inclusion, and hope will continue to inspire.
Dr. Straatman is survived by her husband, Dr. Stephane Flibotte and their son Eric.
More tributes to Dr. Lynn Straatman:
https://medicine.med.ubc.ca/in-memoriam-dr-lynn-straatman-division-of-cardiology/
https://www.ubccardio.com/in-memoriam-dr-lynn-straatman/
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Reducing Risks and Myths: Dr. Shelina Babul Discusses Concussion Safety on Global News
Dr. Shelina Babul, was recently featured on Global News and she discussed ways to reduce the risk for concussions, concussion care and she also breaks down some common myths.
Dr. Babul is a Clinical Professor in UBC’s Department of Pediatrics and Director of the BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit and her work focuses on concussion and traumatic brain injury prevention, recognition, and management, especially in sports and recreation.
See: https://globalnews.ca/video/11531659/winter-sports-and-concussion-prevention/amp/
Learn more about Dr. Babul’s work:
https://www.injuryresearch.bc.ca/
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We respectfully acknowledge that we live, learn, and care on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
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Contact: pedcomm@cw.bc.ca