Asthma: The most common chronic non-communicable disease of childhood
Inborn errors of immunity (IEI): Devastating and often life-threatening genetic disorders in which parts of the immune system are missing or dysfunctional.
Our research is designed to define the underlying cellular, molecular, and genetic abnormalities responsible for disease. We work towards generating new knowledge that will improve diagnosis and disease management. Our work aims to identify new, individualized strategies to treat and ultimately prevent these difficult child health conditions.
Our Origins
Our journey began with the asthma and allergy epidemic in Canada. We wanted to understand why rates were rising, and how early-life exposures even before birth could shape a child’s health. That curiosity led to the CHILD Study, a birth cohort study that recruited over 3,500 pregnant women from across the country. Today, those children are 16 years old, and we continue to follow them closely, learning how genetics, environment, and lifestyle intersect to influence health.
The CHILD Study is now part of our broader Precision Health Initiative, which combines long-term health tracking, microbiome research, and socio-economic analyses to understand who gets sick, why, and what we can do to help. One key finding: children from families with higher rates of C-sections or antibiotic use are more likely to develop asthma or allergies , highlighting the important role early-life exposures play in immune system development.
Our Research
Asthma & Allergies
- CHILD Study & Precision Health: We continue to follow children from the birth cohort to study asthma, allergies, and immune system development.
- Science Behind the Study: Using cutting-edge microbiome research and sequencing technology, we can see what bacteria are missing in children’s systems: bacteria that historically protected children’s health.
- Impact: Our findings are helping inform prevention strategies and giving families and doctors better tools to understand and manage asthma and allergies.
Childhood Rare Diseases
- Rare Disease Discovery & Precision Health: We help diagnose and understand children with rare genetic conditions, especially those affecting the immune system.
- How We Work: Starting with conventional methods and moving to next-generation sequencing, our team has been responsible for about 5% of the world’s rare immune disease discoveries for the last 10 years.
- Team Expertise: From PhD students to research associates, our team is deeply involved in both the science and the patient impact, helping families navigate complex conditions.