DMCBH members Drs. Jessica Rosin and Scott Ramsay are among the new 2024 Scholars and Health Professional-Investigators (HP-I) funded by Michael Smith Health Research BC.
As BC’s health research agency, Michael Smith Health Research BC continues building on its legacy of talent development and research capacity building. Through these awards, it is expanding support to researchers across the province to deliver evidence to improve the health of British Columbians.
Scholar awards support early career health researchers, allowing them to form their own research teams and research programs. Recipients dedicate 75 percent of their time to health research activities. HP-I awards support health professionals involved in patient care to build their health research programs and train the next generation of scientists.
Congratulations to the DMCBH members who have received awards for 2024! Learn more about their research projects below.
Jessica Rosin – 2024 Scholar Award:
Project Title: Investigating the role phagocytic immune cells play in developmental programming during gestation
Microglia, the resident macrophages and phagocytic immune cells of the brain, play an important role in neurodevelopment—yet a fundamental question is whether these same roles have evolved in other regions of the fetus. My research is targeted at addressing this question by studying the contribution of macrophages to processes that shape the development of the skull and face (i.e., craniofacial morphogenesis), and whether distinct populations of these immune cells signal locally to contribute to normal development. During pregnancy, disrupting macrophage functions results in craniofacial and dental abnormalities. To explore the developmental contribution of these immune cells to the craniofacial region, we will use our established pharmacological mouse model alongside state-of-the-art expression profiling and imaging technologies. By studying how macrophages contribute to normal development of craniofacial tissues, this research will lead to advancements in our understanding of how maternal insults like maternal periodontal infection—a prevalent condition associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes—disrupts developmental programs. Overall, this research will broaden our knowledge of maternal-fetal interactions to benefit Canadians.
Scott Ramsay – 2024 Health Professional-Investigator Award:
Project Title: Using an equity-informed approach to enhance care for children and youth with a neurological condition in British Columbia
Neurological conditions are a major concern for children and youth, with the potential to affect both physical and mental health. These conditions occur as a result of injury, genetics, and exposures which disrupt the normal functions regulated by the nervous system. Despite the reported rates of neurological conditions in Canada, there are no current estimates of children and youth in British Columbia (BC) living with these conditions. Further, there is a lack of understanding on how this population accesses health care. Therefore, we want to quantify the rate of neurological conditions by exploring the current prevalence of in the BC pediatric population. Second, we will identify the barriers to accessing neurological care, focusing on the social determinants of health. Lastly, we seek to address inequities by investigating the implementation of nursing-led care (i.e., assessment, education, and intervention) for children waiting to access neurological care. This work is equity-oriented, with a focus on underserved groups. Research will be performed at UBC and BC Children’s Hospital with input from key stakeholders across BC to enact knowledge translation, seeking to inform practice and create system level interventions.
