BC Children's Hospital Research Institute

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BC Children's Hospital Research Institute

BC Children's Hospital Research Institute conducts discovery, translational and clinical research to benefit the health of children and their families.

For privacy & social media moderation policies (also applies to Instagram): http://bcchr.info/3cx91Ml We are supported by BC Children's Hospital Foundation; are part of BC Children’s Hospital, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority; and work in close partnership with the University of British Columbia. Incorporated in 1995, the Research Institute features facilities in the heart of Vancouver that provide researchers with close access to leading-edge health care organizations serving children and families from around the province. It is the largest research institute of its kind in Western Canada.

08/26/2026

This summer, Mini Med School Scholarship recipients got a firsthand look at what a career in health research can look like.

As part of their career placements at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Tanya, Hanna, Irene and Abigail spent time alongside research teams, learning from researchers and experiencing the work that goes into advancing discoveries in child health.

Supported by BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, the Mini Med School program gives high school students opportunities to learn from scientists, explore health research and discover where their curiosity might take them.

Congratulations to this year’s scholarship recipients, and thank you to the research teams who welcomed and mentored them!

Learn more about Mini Med School:

https://www.bcchr.ca/our-programs/mini-med-school/

08/25/2026

August is Autoinflammatory Awareness Month.

Inflammation is an essential part of the body's immune response, but when it becomes overactive, it can damage healthy tissues. Understanding how the immune system regulates inflammation is key to developing better treatments.

BC Children's Hospital Research Institute investigator Dr. Megan Levings and her team are studying regulatory T cells (Tregs), immune cells that help keep the immune system in balance. Their latest research highlights the potential of Tregs to improve treatments for autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases, transplantation, and Type 1 diabetes.

Swipe to learn more about the latest discoveries from the Levings lab.

Read the full story at https://bcchr.info/4z6AH4f.

08/14/2026

The IRIS study team at BC Children's Hospital Research Institute is conducting a study to learn about infant immune responses to Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infections - the #1 cause of infant hospitalization in Canada.

By taking part, your baby can help researchers improve RSV prevention strategies and understand how to reduce the long-term risks of the disease.

If you had given or are planning to give birth in the months of September–November of 2026 at BC Women's Hospital, the team would like to hear from you.

If you're interested in participating, please visit bcchr.ca/iris or email [email protected].

BC Children's Hospital Foundation Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia Women's Health Research Institute

08/13/2026

How is artificial intelligence reshaping clinical practice and the relationships between clinicians, patients, and technology?

Join us on August 27 (12–1 PM PT) for AI in Clinical Practice: Reshaping Workflows and Relationships, a virtual seminar hosted by the Women's Health Research Institute (WHRI) and the BC Children's Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR).

This session features Dr. Alexis Fabricius, whose research examines the ethical, social, and philosophical implications of digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and data-intensive practices across healthcare, clinical care, and research.

Drawing on emerging evidence related to AI scribes and AI-enabled clinical decision support systems, Dr. Fabricius will explore how these technologies are reshaping clinical workflows and human–technology relationships. Participants will gain practical and theoretical approaches to critically evaluating AI in healthcare, with particular attention to trust, privacy, accountability, and governance.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

-Explain how AI technologies are reshaping clinical practice and relationships among clinicians, patients, and AI.

-Apply practical and theoretical frameworks to critically evaluate AI technologies in healthcare.

🔗 Register here: https://bcchr.info/4wYIVKb

08/12/2026

August 12 is International Youth Day. To commemorate, we are re-sharing a story from earlier this spring that emphasizes the benefits of involving young people in clinical decision-making.

Although research shows that consulting with youth improves the delivery of health care, adolescent perspectives are often absent from medical literature.

A report published by the Canadian Paediatric Society, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, and the Compass Lab (Unity Health Toronto), highlights the recommendations from youth across Canada on what safe, trauma-informed care should look and feel like.

Read the full story at https://bcchr.info/4q2lTiT.

08/04/2026

BCCHR investigator Dr. William Gibson is one of the recipients of the Brain Aneurysm Foundation’s 2026 Research Grant Awards. Dr. Gibson is working to advance the understanding of the genetic factors related to brain aneurysms, particularly cases affecting multiple first-degree relatives. He expects that his research will not only lead to new diagnostic tests for families at high risk of developing this condition, but also solve the genetic cause of aneurysms running in families. Learn more at https://bcchr.info/45ClE4C.

07/27/2026

The Elango Lab at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute is conducting a study to better understand what nutrition school-aged children need to grow.

Children may be eligible to participate if they are a healthy 6 to 10 year old with no chronic medical conditions or recent weight loss.

Eligible participants will eat a special diet on 5 separate study visits (8 hours each), these diets are made of amino acids which are the building blocks of protein.

Parents and guardians can go to the Elango lab website bcchr.info/elango-lab-participate or email [email protected] to learn more! Compensation is provided to participants for their time.

07/24/2026

New research jointly published in Nature: The Clinical Microbiome reveals that certain species of fungi in the gut play a key role in the development of immune dysregulation and some childhood allergic diseases and may be promising targets for new therapies.

Read more at: https://bcchr.info/4ftYv8X.

06/30/2026

Researchers from the Elango Lab at BCCH are looking for healthy pregnant women aged 20–40 years to participate in a research study examining dietary leucine requirements.

You may be eligible if you are currently pregnant and are between 11–20 weeks or 31–40 weeks of gestation. Participation includes a pre-study assessment visit and an eight-hour session that can be split into several visits.

Participants will receive financial compensation for their time.

Visit bcchr.info/elango-lab-participate or contact [email protected] to learn more.

BC Children's Hospital Foundation Provincial Health Services Authority - PHSA Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia

06/25/2026

Have you ever wondered what teeth are made of? 🦷

BCCHR investigator and pediatric dentist Dr. Joy Richman breaks down the science behind these pearly whites in this episode of Hey, Researcher!.

Dr. Richman also shares ways to keep your teeth healthy. One of her tips is to brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day.

Important tip for our young audience: After you brush your teeth, ask your parents to check that your teeth are sparkling — especially before bedtime 😴.

Got a question about your body, brain, or health? Send us a message with your name or nickname and your age.

For more information, visit https://bcchr.ca/hey-researcher.

BC Children's Hospital Foundation Provincial Health Services Authority - PHSA Canadian Dental Association

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