New This Month
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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Managing type 1 diabetes just got easier! | Dr. Shazhan Amed
Dr. Shazhan Amed and a cross-disciplinary team at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics, in collaboration with Canada’s Digital Technology Supercluster and partners, have developed a new digital platform that brings all your child’s diabetes data into one place and designed with families and healthcare teams.
Early results show improved communication, personalized care, and confidence.
Read the full study: https://journals.plos.org/digitalhealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pdig.0000861
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Advancing Neonatal Care: Ms. Lindsay Richter and Dr. Souvik Mitra Awarded CIHR Grant for PDA Innovation
Congratulations to Ms. Lindsay Richter and Dr. Souvik Mitra on receiving a CIHR Planning and Dissemination Grant to advance innovation and knowledge-sharing in the care of Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)—a heart condition affecting premature babies.
This work will help improve outcomes for the tiniest patients by shaping evidence-based treatment and family-centered care.
Thank you for driving progress in neonatal health!
Learn more: https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/54554.html
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UBC Faculty of Medicine Welcomes Dr. Sharmila Anandasabapathy as New Dean and VP, Health
The Department of Pediatrics is delighted to welcome Dr. Sharmila Anandasabapathy as the new Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Vice-President, Health at UBC.
An internationally recognized clinician-scientist, Dr. Anandasabapathy brings a wealth of expertise in cancer detection, biomedical engineering, and global health—advancing innovation and equity at every level.
We look forward to collaborating with Dr. Anandasabapathy to advance our shared goals of excellence, inclusion, and innovation in ensuring that children, youth, and families across British Columbia receive the best possible health outcomes.
Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Dr. Anandasabapathy.
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Thank You for Making Halloween at BC Children’s Hospital a Spooktacular Success!
Big thanks to the C&W Halloween Working Group and Patient Experience team!
You created another fantastic Halloween experience at BC Children’s Hospital—bringing joy, comfort, and community spirit.
A special shout-out to the My Animal Books publishing group for the generous donation! We shared these gifts with our Brighter Smiles team as they made their way to Hartley Bay to provide high-quality pediatric care for children and families.
We’re also grateful to our staff and faculty for their creativity decorating our booth, and community spirit handing out candy, toys, and books:
• Carleton Lab
• Lunken Lab
• Respiratory Medicine Lab
• Samuel Laboratory
• Boerner Laboratory
Thank you to everyone who helped make this day memorable!
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Advancing Pediatric Respiratory Care: Dr. Robert Reklow Honoured with Margaret W. Leigh Award
Congratulations to Dr. Robert Reklow, Postdoctoral Research Fellow from the Division of Respiratory Medicine, for receiving the 2025 Margaret W. Leigh Early Career Investigator Award!
His work focuses on improving diagnosis of childhood breathing disorders like severe asthma and primary ciliary dyskinesia.
See: https://healthresearchbc.ca/news_article/announcing-the-2025-research-trainee-awardees/
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Advancing NICU Care: Dr. Souvik Mitra Achieves AFC Credential in Neonatal Hemodynamics
We are excited to celebrate Dr. Souvik Mitra’s AFC recognition from Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in Neonatal Hemodynamics & Targeted Neonatal Echocardiography! A milestone for standardized training that will improve care for critically ill NICU babies.
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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