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
Ruth McManus, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine, Director of Endocrinology Program in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism
Research Interests / Specializations: Insulin resistance, Diabetes prevention, Diabetes in pregnancy
Stephanie Atkinson, PhD
Professor, Pediatrics, McMaster University
Research Interests / Specializations: Nutrition, growth and body composition as determinants of health and disease risk
Stewart Harris, MD
Professor, Department of Family Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry
Research Interests / Specializations: Type 2 diabetes in high-risk populations including Aboriginal Canadians, new immigrant groups, patients with mental health conditions, and the application of clinical practice guidelines for the management of diabetes in primary care.
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