Co-Investigators

Harry Prapavessis, PhD

Professor, School of Kinesiology

Research Interests / Specializations: Determinants of physical activity, Exercise as a therapy to improve health, The role of psychological factors in the prediction, prevention and recovery of injury

Taniya Nagpal, PhD

Assistant Professor, University of Alberta

Research Interests / Specializations: Women's health; Adherence to lifestyle interventions; Obesity prevention; Weight stigma

Barbra DeVrijer, MD

Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Research Interests / Specializations: The role of cytokines in pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, pre-term birth and gestational diabetes

Lindsay Nagamatsu, PhD

Assistant Professor, School of Kinesiology

Research Interests / Specializations: Aging, neuroimaging, health behaviour interventions, cognitive neuroscience.

Ryan J Van Lieshout, MD, PhD, FRCPC

Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, Canada Research Chair in the Perinatal Programming of Mental Disorders, Albert Einstein/Irving Zucker Chair in Neuroscience, McMaster University

Research Interests / Specializations: Reducing the impact of maternal perinatal health problems (postpartum depression, obesity) on fetal/infant brain development, preventing psychiatric disorders, perinatal psychiatry

Isabelle Giroux, PhD

Associate Professor, University of Ottawa

Research Interests / Specializations: Prevention and treatment of obesity, prediabetes and diabetes in children and adults (including pregnant and nursing women)

Stephanie-May Ruchat, PhD

Professor, Departement of Human Kinetics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières

Research Interests / Specializations: Prenatal physical activity and prevention/ treatment of maternal and neonatal complications; Physical activity and reproductive health; Fetal epigenetic programming

Eva Pila, PhD

Assistant Professor, School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences

Research Interests / Specializations: Body image and mental health; Emotions and motivation related to physical activity; Mindfulness and compassion-focused interventions; Weight-related conditions that impact women’s health (e.g., obesity, eating disorders, breast cancer)

Rob Gratton, MD

Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Research Interests / Specializations: The role of the placenta in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia, The impact of exercise in pregnancy on glucose control and weight gain

Tony Hanley, PhD

Associate Professor, University of Toronto

Research Interests / Specializations: Nutritional and metabolic epidemiology of Type 2 Diabetes; Underlying phenotypes in high risk populations.

Maggie Daventport, PhD

Professor, University of Alberta

Research Interests / Specializations: Prenatal exercise to promote cardiometabolic health in women diagnosed with, or at risk for gestational diabetes.

Sherin Hussien, PhD MSW RSW

Adjunct Professor, Kinesiology, Western University

Biography: Founder and President of Women Empowerment for Canada for Newcomers (WECanN), Therapist/Life Coach at the Healthier Therapy Services