Christine Loock

MD, FRCPC

Investigator, BC Children's Hospital
Medical Director, Cleft Palate Program and Social Pediatrics RICHER program

Our start in life has a profound impact on our health and longevity. Early life matters. Early interventions have been proven to improve the developmental and life trajectories for the most vulnerable of our children, including those who have experienced in utero and early life adversity. Relationships also matter in the lives of children and youth; resiliency develops through the interactive effects of nature and nurture, both biology and environment. Brokering trust through respectful engagement and community partnerships creates opportunities for sustained interventions and healthier transition into adult health services.

Our research focuses on addressing disparities in health care engagement and inequities in health outcomes, with an effort to include populations of Canadian infants, children and youth who may be excluded, stereotyped, and/or become less visible in clinical research studies, due to socio-cultural barriers, material disenfranchisement and/or developmental diversity.