PWHR’S RESEARCH SEMINAR SERIES
PWHR’s 2025-2026 RESEARCH SEMINAR SERIES: better health through better research
In 2025-2026, the Partnership for Women’s Health Research Canada (PWHR) is proud to celebrate rigorous, ground-breaking research that is improving the health of women, trans and non-binary people.
The 2025-2026 PWHR Research Seminars feature the winners of the 2025 Mid-Career Excellence in Women’s Health Research Award. Each winner represents one of PWHR’s partner institutions and is recognized for their significant contributions to cutting-edge science, transforming health systems and practices through research, and mentoring the next generation of researchers.
Researchers, research funders, community members, healthcare providers and administrators, trainees, and policymakers are all invited to celebrate these outstanding researchers, and to join the conversation.
Meet all the winners.
UPCOMING EVENTS
October 30, 2025
INFANT-RELATED HARM THOUGHTS: WHY THEY MATTER AND HOW TO MANAGE THEM
SPEAKERS:
Dr. Nichole Fairbrother, Women’s Health Research Institute (WHRI)
Dr. Fairbrother is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Family Practice at the University of British Columbia and a registered psychologist. She leads the UBC Perinatal Anxiety Disorders Research Lab, one of the only labs in Canada dedicated to perinatal anxiety. Her research also addresses the highly stigmatized and misunderstood area of intrusive thoughts, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and infant safety. Her work is transforming how we screen, understand, and support perinatal mental health.
Samantha Buchsdruecker, Indigenous Mental Health Advocate
Samantha Buchsdruecker is a mixed-race Indigenous mother from Big River First Nation and a descendant of residential school and Sixties Scoop survivors. Her lived experience navigating postpartum mental health challenges, systemic racism in healthcare, and the child welfare system has shaped her path as an Indigenous advocate. She has presented to organizations including Peace Arch Hospital in White Rock, BC, and Legal Aid BC, sharing her story to highlight the need for culturally safe and trauma-informed care. She is dedicated to supporting Indigenous families by improving access to mental health, maternal health, legal, and community resources. Through her advocacy, she brings forward the voices of Indigenous mothers and families to ensure they are recognized, respected, and supported within healthcare and social systems.
November 26, 2025
RECLAIMING BIRTH AS CEREMONY: INDIGENOUS MIDWIFERY IN ALBERTA
SPEAKERS:
Dr. Stephanie Montesanti, Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (WCHRI)
A Professor and Canada Research Chair in Health System Integration at the University of Alberta’s School of Public Health, Dr. Montesanti is internationally recognized for her leadership in equity-focused health systems research. Her work centers Indigenous and rural communities and builds partnerships that co-design community-based health policies and services. Through the CARE Lab, she is advancing a bold, equity-centered vision for health system transformation.
Maddie Amyotte, Registered Midwife and Lactation Consultant
Maddie Amyotte is a Métis Registered Midwife and Lactation Consultant living in Nistawâyâw (Fort McMurray). Her path to midwifery began after a career as a Registered Nurse. Maddie worked in Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care, as well as Public Health prior to completing a Masters in Nursing with a Midwifery Specialty from Frontier Nursing University. Maddie is also the Executive Health Director with Ihkapaskwa Collective, and an Auntie with the Aunties Within Reach program.
March 4, 2026
SEX MATTERS: NOVEL PERSPECTIVES ON SEX AND GENDER IN PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS
SPEAKERS:
Dr. Lihi Eder, Women’s College Hospital Research and Innovation Institute
Dr. Eder is a Clinician-Scientist at Women’s College Hospital Research Institute and Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. As Director of the Psoriatic Arthritis Program at Women’s College Hospital and Co-Director of the Cardio-Rheumatology Program at the University of Toronto, her work has shaped global standards in psoriatic arthritis research, with a strong focus on sex and gender differences in disease outcomes. Her leadership continues to advance clinical care, imaging, and gender-responsive rheumatology.
April 15, 2026
Addressing women’s sexual function difficulties Through a couples-based lens
SPEAKERS:
Dr. Natalie Rosen, IWK Health
A Full Professor at Dalhousie University in the Departments of Psychology/Neuroscience and Obstetrics/Gynaecology, Dr. Rosen is an internationally recognized leader in sexual health research. Her work focuses on sexual dysfunction and well-being during life transitions, including the perinatal period. A pioneer in couples-based approaches, she has translated her findings into evidence-based interventions that are changing lives and improving care.
Justin Shimizu, PhD Student
Justin completed an Honours degree in Psychology with a minor in Sexuality Studies at Carleton University following a seven-year career as a paramedic. They are currently a PhD student in Clinical Psychology at Dalhousie University where their research focuses on couple-based psychological interventions for sexual dysfunctions. Justin is committed to conducting intersectional and inclusive research that captures the diverse experiences of individuals and couples from marginalized populations.
Grace Wang, PhD Student
Bio coming up.
PWHR’s 2024-2025 RESEARCH SEMINAR SERIES:
Better health through better research
Inclusion, equity, and diversity result in better research. PWHR recognizes, celebrates and amplifies lifechanging research that advances the health of women, trans, and non-binary people.
PWHR’s 2024-2025 seminar series is contributing to a national conversation about steps to address historical and contemporary biases and discrimination in health research. These biases and discrimination are obstacles to the inclusion of diverse voices in research, undermine gender-equity and inclusion, and ultimately, result in health harms.
Illustrating “Better health through better research”, the 2024-2025 PWHR Seminar Series profiles resources, practices, and tools that advance PWHR’s vision of “Better health for all women, trans and non-binary people through research equity, excellence, and inclusion.” Researchers, research funders, community members including those with lived and living experience, healthcare providers and administrators, trainees, and policymakers can all take action to generate and mobilize knowledge that is equitable and inclusive, and thus produce better health outcomes. All are invited to join the discussion.
PAST EVENTS
March 5, 2025
Equity, inclusion, and social justice for better perinatal outcomes
| Knowledge Mobilization to Address Pregnancy-Related Near-Miss Events and Death | Dr. Isabelle Malhamé, MD, MSc, FRCPC Clinician Scientist, Obstetric Medicine and Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre Principal Investigator, Laboratory for Pregnancy & Postpartum Health Improvement (LOUVE) Research Dr. Modupe Tunde-Byass, MD, FRCPC Associate Professor of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Toronto Co-founder, Women Health Education Made Simple (WHEMS) |
| Inuit Perinatal Health Hub: Building Inuit-Specific Resources and Support | Dr. Levinia Brown, LLD Former MLA and Deputy Primier, Nunavut Member, National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) Governing Circle Mary Ann Forbes Research Project Team Lead, Inuit Perinatal Health Hub Project, University of Calgary Dr. Patti Johnston, BA, BSW, MSW, PhD Assistant Professor, Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary |
| Justice and Equity in Perinatal Services Hub | Gabrielle Griffith Founding Member, Ontario Black Doula Society Regional Coordinator, RESPCTT, Birth Place Lab, UBC Bhavya Reddy, MPH Public Health Researcher, Global Maternal Health PhD Candidate, School of Population and Public Health, UBC Dr. Saraswathi Vedam, RM, PhD, FACNM, Sci D Lead Investigator, Birth Place Lab, UBC Professor, Midwifery, UBC Health Professional Investigator, Michael Smith Health Research Institute Health Professional Investigators |
February 12, 2025
Women’s Heart Health: Inclusion for research and practice excellence
| Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance: Advocating for Sex- and Gender- Equity | Lisa Comber, KTPC, BA University of Ottawa Heart Institute Knowledge Translation Manager, Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre and Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance |
| Women’s Heart Health: Sex Differences and a Decade of Research | Dr. Tara Sedlak, M.D., F.R.C.P.C. Cardiologist, Vancouver General Hospital and BC Women’s Hospital Associate Professor, Division of Cardiology, UBC Researcher, Centre for Cardiovascular Innovation Director, Leslie Diamond Women’s Heart Health Clinic Emilie Théberge, MSc Clinical Research Coordinator, UBC Research Coordinator and Analyst, Leslie Diamond Women’s Heart Health Clinic |
| Menopause and Cardiovascular Health | Dr. Sofia Ahmed, MD Professor, University of Alberta Academic Lead, Women’s Health Research, WCHRI |
| Maximizing Research Impact and Improving Cardiovascular Health for Women | Dr. Kerri-Anne Mullen, BSc, MSc, PhD Assistant Professor, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa Scientist and Director, Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre, University of Ottawa Heart Institute Chair, Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance Jennifer Monaghan, BA, LLB Lawyer Co-Chair, BC Recovery & Rehabilitation Steering Committee and Interior Health Stroke Innovation and Research Strategic Planning Committee Member, Executive Committee, StrokeCog Recovery Trials Member, Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance Member, Heart & Stroke Foundation |
| National Health Funding for Women’s Cardiovascular Research | Dr. Nan Chen, PhD Postdoctoral Fellow, PWHR at UBC |
November 14, 2024
Menopause (mis) Information
| Misinformation on Menopausal Hormone Therapy | Dr. Nese Yuksel, BScPharm, PharmD, FCSHP, MSCP Professor, University of Alberta, WCHRI member, President Canadian Menopause Society |
| Dispelling Common Myths about Menopause: Info for Women and Care Providers | Dr. Iliana Lega, MSc, FRCPC, MD Assistant Professor, University of Toronto, Staff Endocrinologist, WCH, Scientist, Women’s College Hospital Research and Innovation Institute |
| Community-led menopause research in Maskwacîs, an Indigenous Community | Luwana Listener, Research Coordinator, Maskwacîs Wahkohtowin Research Group, WCHRI member |
| Results from HER-BC: Health and Economics Research on Midlife Women in BC | Dr. Marina Adshade, PhD Faculty, University of British Columbia & WHRI member |
October 16, 2024
Beyond the binary canada knowledge exchange
| The National Beyond the Binary Resource Package Overview | Dr. Lori Brotto, PhD, R. Psych Professor, University of British Columbia & WHRI Executive Director Heather McCain Founder and and Executive Director of Live Education Transform Society |
| Trauma and resiliency-informed research and good practices | BC. Pomeroy Expert in Trauma and Resiliency Informed Practice (TRIP) Dr. Dana Ross, MD, MSc, FRCPC Assistant Professor, University of Toronto, Staff Psychiatrist, Women’s College Hospital |
| Sharing implementation strategies for inclusive language and gender-equitable research | Dr. Kathryn Dewar Senior Research Manager, WHRI and member of UBC C&W REB Dr. Bethan Kingsley, PhD Research Associate, WCHRI Jack Woodman Vice President Strategy, Quality, Risk and Privacy at Women’s College Hospital. |
| Key takeaways: Reflections on and learnings from the Beyond the Binary Canada process | Fritz Pino, MSW, PhD Associate Professor, Faculty of Social Work, University of Regina Teffer Adjemian Communications Officer, BioCanRx Natalie O. Rosen, PhD, R. Psych Professor, Dalhousie University, Departments of Psychology & Neuroscience and Obstetrics and Gynaecology, & IWK Health Dr. Tamil Kendall, PhD Director of the Partnership for Women’s Health Research Canada. |
PWHR’s 2023-2024 Research Seminar Series: Improving Women’s Healthcare Through Research
The 2023-2024 PWHR Women’s Health Research Seminar Series will explore research that is driving advances in healthcare for women, trans and non-binary people. Whether they are working at the bench to advance basic science, at the bedside, or with the broader health, social, and economic policies and systems that shape individual and population health, a fundamental goal of women’s health researchers is to improve healthcare. This seminar series highlights how researchers from across Canada are realizing PWHR’s vision of “Better health for all women, trans and non-binary people through research equity, excellence, and inclusion.”
March 1, 2024
Digital Innovations: Expanding Women’s Informed Choice And Access To Quality Healthcare
| Panel Chair | Dr. Ibukun Abejirinde, MD, MSc., PhD Scientist, Women’s College Hospital Research Institute, Assistant Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto |
| Digital health for chronic disease prevention and treatment | Dr. Carla Prado, PhD, RD Professor, Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Science, University of Alberta, Member Women and Children’s Health Research Institute Camila Orsso, PhD Student |
| Leveraging digital platforms to improve cervical cancer screening rates | Dr. Gina Ogilvie, MSc, PhD, MD Professor, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Senior Scientist BC Centre for Disease Control, Senior Scientific Advisor Women’s Health Research Institute Nadia Mithani, PhD Student |
| Innovations in Treatment Delivery for Perinatal Mental Illness | Dr. Simone Vigod, MD, MSc, FRCPC Senior Scientist, Women’s College Research Institute, Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto Neesha Hussain-Shamsy, PhD Candidate |
January 24, 2024
Person-Centered approaches to research and healthcare delivery
| The BCC3 experience with community-engaged research on healthy aging in women living with HIV | Dr. Hélène Côté, Ph.D. Professor, University of British Columbia & WHRI |
| Transforming healthcare through asynchronous trauma-informed care (TIC) education | Dr. Dana Ross, M.D. Assistant Professor, University of Toronto & WCRI |
November 21, 2023
Resolving Women’s Pain: research-Driven Innovations
| A novel approach to optimizing labour analgesia using Programmed Intermittent Epidural Bolus (PIEB) | Dr. Allana Munro, BSc Pharm, M.D., FRCPC BSc Pharm, MD, FRCPC, Anesthesiologist (IWK Health) and Associate Professor (Dalhousie University) |
| An integrative approach to chronic pelvic pain care | Dr. Erin Kelly, M.D. M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Alberta & WCHRI |
| Chronic Fatigue Syndrome other complex chronic diseases: Advances in diagnosis and treatment | Dr. Luis Nacul, M.D., Ph.D. Director of the Complex Chronic Diseases Program (CCDP), BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre & WHRI |
| Rapid access to care for people living with pain: Creation and implementation of the Power Over Pain portal | Dr. Rachael Bosma, Ph.D. Ph.D., Co-Director, University of Toronto Centre for the Study of Pain & WCRI |
September 19, 2023
Research for precision women’s health and personalized medicine
| Dedifferentiated and sarcomatous mullerian cancer – development of precision preclinical models to facilitate precision oncology | Dr. Cheng-Han Lee, MD, Ph.D. Associate Professor, University of Alberta |
| Genetic risk for major depressive disorder and loneliness in sex-specific associations with coronary artery disease | Dr. Jessica Dennis, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, University of British Columbia |
| Population-based screening for hereditary breast and ovarian cancers | Dr. Mohammad Akbari, M.D., Ph.D. Associate Professor, University of Toronto |
PWHR’s 2022-2023 Research Seminar Series: Women’s Health Research Knowledge Mobilization to Improve Policy, practice, and outcomes
The inaugural Partnership for Women’s Health Research Canada (PWHR) Seminar Series (2022-2023) theme of the seminar series was engaged or partnered research to promote knowledge mobilization to benefit the health of women, trans and nonbinary people.
March 1, 2023
Digital innovations in abortion care: national and global perspectives
| Reproductive Justice in Digital Life | Joanna Erdman, JD, LLM Professor, MacBain Chair in Health Law and Policy, Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University |
| What matters most to people seeking an abortion in Canada? Lessons learned from the development of a decision aid | Dr. Melissa Brooks, MD, FRSC Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University Dr. Sarah Munro, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia and Co-Director, Canada’s Contraception and Abortion Research Team (CART-GRAC) |
| Innovation is Vital(a): Opportunities and challenges of co-created digital platforms for SMA in Humanitarian Settings | Dr. Roopan Gill, MD, MPH, FRCSC Executive Director and Co-Founder, Vitala Global and Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto |
January 26, 2023
partnering with policymakers to implement and respond to women’s health research
| Opening Remarks | Dr. Angela Kaida, Ph.D. Scientific Director, Institute of Gender and Health, CIHR and Distinguished Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University |
| Canada’s Sexual Health Survey—from idea to implementation | Dr. Wendy V. Norman, MD, CCFP, FCFP, DTM&H, MHSc Professor, Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia and Co-Director, Canada’s Contraception and Abortion Research Team (CART-GRAC) |
| Obstetrical Anal Sphincter Injury and the pathway to care | Dr. Jane Schulz, MD, FRCSC Professor and Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lois Hole Hospital for Women, University of Alberta and Alberta Women’s Health Foundation Endowed Research Chair |
| Addressing windows of opportunity to identify and prevent diabetes in women | Dr. Lorraine Lipscombe, MD, MSC, FRCPC Senior Scientist, Women’s College Research Institute, Professor, Department of Medicine and Director, Novo Nordisk Network for Healthy Populations, University of Toronto |
November 23, 2022
partnering with service providers to improve the health of women, trans, and non-binary people
| Opening Remarks | Ms. Jenna Sudds, M.P. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth |
| Working with health and social service providers to improve supports for transgender survivors of sexual assault in Ontario | Dr. Janice Du Mont, Ed.D Senior Scientist, Women’s College Research Institute and Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto Ms. Sheila Macdonald, RN Provincial Director, Ontario Network of Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Care and Treatment Centres |
| #postbabyhankypanky: A knowledge sharing initiative to promote the sexual health of new parents | Dr. Natalie Rosen, Ph.D. Professor in the Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience and Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Dalhousie University, Halifax |
September 22, 2022
working with communities to design and implement women’s health research
| Research with Communities and Knowledge Mobilization | Alison Bourgon Director General of Science Policy, Canadian Institutes of Health Research |
| A Community-Centred Approach to Self-collection for Cervix Screening | Laurie Smith, RN(C), BN, MPH Program Manager, Global Control of HPV Related Diseases and Cancer Research Program, Women’s Health Research Institute Dr. Carolyn Nakisige Gynecologist, Uganda Cancer Institute |
| Maskwacis Maternal, Child & Family Wellbeing Research Group | Dr. Richard Oster, Ph.D. Scientific Director of the Indigenous Wellness Core, Alberta Health Services Denise Young Research Assistant, Maskwacis Maternal, Child & Family Wellbeing Research Group |
The Partnership for Women’s Health Research Canada uses the term women to refer to all people who identify as women. We use trans and non-binary as umbrella terms to refer to people with a wide range of gender identities that are different from the gender they were assigned at birth.
This is a living document and we welcome feedback. For more information or to provide input, please contact communications@pwhr.org
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