Laura Arbour

MSc, MD

Investigator and Clinical Geneticist, BC Children's Hospital

Dr. Laura Arbour is a Professor in the Department of Medical Genetics situated at the UBC Island Medical Program in Victoria, BC. Her clinical practice and research focuses on Indigenous health issues as they pertain to genetics. Trained as both pediatrician and clinical geneticist, her research integrates maternal child health issues and the understanding of the genetic component of Indigenous health of all ages, such as congenital heart defects in the Inuit of Nunavut, Long QT Syndrome in Northern British Columbia, and the potential risk of CPT1A P479L for infant mortality in northern populations. Dr Arbour is also the project lead on a Genome Canada / CIHR funded grant, with co-leads Drs Nadine Caron and Wyeth Wasserman (of UBC), “Silent Genomes: Reducing health-care disparities and improving diagnostic success for indigenous children with genetic disease”. The project aims to address the challenges of equitable access to genetic / genomic diagnosis and care for Canadian Indigenous populations