Researchers brainstorm big ideas in child health and wellness

Researchers from every faculty across the University of Calgary are invited to participate in town halls throughout June to explore ways to advance child health and wellness.These town halls will be hosted by research thought leaders and will feature presentations by leading faculty members sharing examples of grand challenges to transform child health.The goal is to enable discovery, translation and impact for patients and families. 

Dr. Susa Benseler, MD, PhD, director of the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), is leading the Child Health and Wellness initiative, selected earlier this year by the Office of the Vice-President (Research) as one of several emerging cross-cutting research themes.

“Our objective is to develop and implement a transformative partnership and framework to empower interdisciplinary research teams to address child health challenges at all scales. We are truly grateful for the institutional support for the Child Health and Wellness initiative,” says Benseler.

Child Health and Wellness will embrace and foster the strength, diversity, and passion of stakeholders, with children and families at the centre of this unique approach to partnerships.

The first town hall held on Tuesday, June 4 at the Alberta Children’s Hospital focused on precision child health. Each of the town halls is organized under a broad theme of research.

• June 4: Precision child health
• June 10: Brain development, function and mental health Register
• June 12: Maternal, newborn and child health Register
• June 18: Care transformation for child health Register
• June 25: Big data and the social determinants of child health Register

For more information on all the town halls, visit research.ucalgary.ca/child-health-wellness. If you are unable to attend in person, you are welcome to join each session via Adobe Connect.