Research Themes

Each theme spans several areas of focus, outlined below.

Healthy Child Development

Epigenetics, fetal programming, gene expression and regulation in animal models and human cohorts
The role of nutrient availability on neonatal development (e.g., longitudinal birth cohort of infants born to women with glucose intolerance during pregnancy)
Investigating growth, metabolic, and cognitive developmental outcomes in offspring
The effect of breast milk composition and supplements on term/pre-term infant growth and neurodevelopment
Neurocognitive development
The impact of food intake on regulation and development from birth
The impact of early nutritional deprivation in animal models of learning and behaviour
Impact of early microbiome development on gut health and chronic disease

Randomized controlled clinical trials of promising nutritional interventions, which are relevant and generalizable to primary care settings
Testing methods to facilitate uptake of evidence-based interventions into primary care and public health settings
Establishing clinical practice guidelines
Chronic disease surveillance
Reducing health disparities
Promoting equity for vulnerable populations
Development and evaluation of integrated community- and family-based models of care for high-needs populations

Integrity of children’s food supply chain (safety, nutrient density, claims on food, nutrition standards, food marketing)
Culturally appropriate local crops and food technology
Food security in Canada
Equity in access
Availability to nutritious food

Family nutritional literacy and awareness, and impacts on child food behaviour
Effect of changing physiological and external environment on food intake behaviours during puberty

Providing leadership on international child nutrition public policy
Studies of nutrition during pregnancy, infancy and childhood in international environments