Jennifer Smitten

Investigator and General Pediatrician, BC Children's Hospital

Academic Affiliations

Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia

Research Theme

Evidence to Innovation

Research Areas

Child Health

Delivery of Health Care

Global Health

Patient Safety

Quality Assurance, Health Care

Social Determinants of Health

Contact

jsmitten@cw.bc.ca

Mailing Address

4480 Oak Street
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6H 3V4

Overview: I am interested in acute care, quality improvement and incorporating evidence-based medicine into daily best practices. I am also interested in improving access to health care and improving health outcomes for vulnerable and marginalized/underserved populations.

Stories See all

How this food allergy treatment for kids is easing anxiety for parents

By helping children build tolerance to allergenic foods, oral immunotherapy (OIT) not only reduces the risk of severe allergic reactions, but also helps families feel safer, more confident, and less isolated in their daily lives.

Continue reading How this food allergy treatment for kids is easing anxiety for parents

Caring for young people during a toxic drug crisis: Q&A with Dr. Danya Fast

In 2016, BC declared a public health emergency as a result of the significant increase in drug-related overdoses and deaths. Open conversations about the toxicity of the drug supply remain a top priority, so we sat down with BCCHR investigator Dr. Danya Fast to discuss key findings from her research and what families need to know to support loved ones who use drugs.

Continue reading Caring for young people during a toxic drug crisis: Q&A with Dr. Danya Fast

BCCHR laboratories hosting Indigenous students for seed2STEM program

For the first time, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR) is participating as one of the host institutes in the seed2STEM program — a research summer program that aims to increase participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) among Indigenous youth.

Continue reading BCCHR laboratories hosting Indigenous students for seed2STEM program

Congratulations CIHR Spring 2025 Project Grant recipients

Congratulations to the investigators and their teams who were awarded funding through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Spring 2025 Project Grant competition.

Continue reading Congratulations CIHR Spring 2025 Project Grant recipients

OPTIMISE trial seeks to personalize cancer treatment for children with high-risk tumours

Dr. Rebecca Deyell will be leading the OPTIMISE trial — short for Optimal Precision Therapies to CustoMISE Care in Childhood and Adolescent Cancer — at BC Children's Hospital. The trial is designed to match children, adolescents and young adults with high-risk cancers to targeted therapies based on the genetic makeup of their tumours.

Continue reading OPTIMISE trial seeks to personalize cancer treatment for children with high-risk tumours

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