More than 400 Health Sciences students, faculty, patient family members and special guests gathered at McMaster this week to celebrate and showcase research at McMaster Child Health Research Day, one of the university’s largest research events of the year.
A record-breaking 160 research studies were presented on a wide range of topics including basic science, climate change impacts, cannabis use, applications of artificial intelligence in medical education, antibiotic stewardship and more.
The annual event was developed in collaboration with Hamilton’s child health community, including the department of Pediatrics, the Offord Centre for Child Studies, CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research, the Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research, McMaster Children’s Hospital, and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.
Several local organizations were also involved, including the YWCA Hamilton, the Boys and Girls Club of Hamilton-Halton, Smile Canada, and the March of Dimes.
“We know the impact we’re making here extends far beyond our campus,” said Angelo Mikrogianakis, chair of the department of Pediatrics and chief of pediatrics at McMaster Children’s Hospital.
“It has the capacity to be transformative, not only at the bedside but also in shaping health-care policy.”
Presenter Sarah Kimber, a fourth-year pediatrics resident, is working on helping doctors address the health effects of climate change.
With rising temperatures, pollution and extreme weather events threatening our planet, it is essential to evaluate their impact on children, Kimber says.
Her study involved creating an inventory of the tools available to doctors for taking a patient’s environmental history to improve care.
Master’s student Ryan Miller, supervised by Offord Centre professor Kathy Georgiades, presented research on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care for children in low-income families.
“Our study found that despite Canada’s universal healthcare system, access to care remains unequal,” said Miller.
“Low-income families during the pandemic were less likely to access needed health care. We must continue to work towards addressing income-related barriers to care to ensure that our universal healthcare system lives up to its promise.”
The event featured a keynote address by Christine Chambers, Canada Research Chair in Children’s Pain at Dalhousie University and scientific director of the Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health at the Canadian Institute of Health Research.
Chambers challenged attendees to ensure their research goes beyond discovery and translates into real-world action.
The day concluded with nine researchers being recognized for the scientific rigour, content, clarity and visual appeal of their work.
Top Research Poster Presentations
MSc Student: Sierra D’Amico
Postdoctoral Fellow: Samantha Noyek with Elizabeth Chambers (family advisor)
Undergraduate (2): Ella Rice Hui and Heather Mary Ajoy
Medical Student: Andy Zhu
Research Staff: Amanda Cappon
Top Oral Presentation: Elyse Letts