Study Team
Principal Investigator
Dr. Patricia Janssen
RN (non-practicing), BSN, MPH, PhD (Epidemiology), University of British Columbia
Dr. Janssen is a Professor in the University of British Columbia School of Population and Public Health. She is a Perinatal Epidemiologist and Senior Scientist at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Trained in nursing and midwifery, Dr. Janssen is currently studying the utility of SMS text messaging as a modality to improve health literacy and motivate health behavior change among expectant and new parents. Dr. Janssen leads a Centre of Research Excellence entitled Advancing the Science of Physiologic Birth. She is a past recipient of the YWCA Women of Distinction Award for Research in the Sciences and in 2020 was named one of the top 50 Changemakers in Public Health among alumni of the University of Washington School of Public Health. She was recognized by UBC in 2022 with a Faculty of Medicine Distinguished Achievement Award for Service to the University and Community. In 2024, she was named as one of the top ten women leaders in Canada by Digital Health Canada.
Co-Investigators
Dr. Hamideh Bayrampour
PhD, Associate Professor, UBC Midwifery program with expertise in perinatal mental health
Dr. Jesse Coleman
PhD, Technical Assistant, Centre for International Child Health, BC Children’s Hospital
Dr. Cindy-Lee Dennis
PhD, Professor, Nursing and Psychiatry, University of Toronto and Lunenfeld Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto
Read more here.
Dr. Nichole Fairbrother
PhD, Perinatal Psychologist and Clinical Associate Professor, UBC Department of Psychiatry
Sheila McDonald
PhD, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Departments of Paediatrics & Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary
Dr. Nazeem Muhajarine
PhD, Professor and Chair, Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan
Read more here.
Dr. Sarah Munro
PhD, Co-Applicant, Assistant Professor, UBC Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Jennifer Murray
MPH, Doctoral Student and Former Research Manager, First Nations Health Authority
Dr. Wendy Norman
MD, MHSc, Associate Professor, UBC Department of Family Practice
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Dr. Regina-Maria Renner
MD, MPH, FRCSC, Practicing Obstetrician and Clinical Associate Professor, UBC Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Dr. Suzanne Tough
PhD, Professor, Departments of Paediatrics and Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary
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Dr. Wei Zhang
PhD, Assistant Professor, UBC School of Population and Public Health, Program Head of Health Economics, Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences
Read more here.