News Posts by brainmri

Postdoctoral Position – UBC

The Webster Postdoctoral Scholar in Child Development and Neuroscience

Duration: 2-3 years      

Start date: Sept 2022 or negotiable       

Salary: $60,000/yr + benefits

The BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute is now accepting applications for the 2022 Webster Postdoctoral Scholars Program to support exceptional research trainees and generate innovative research in Child Development and Neuroscience under the mentorship of Dr. Tim Oberlander in the area of developmental neuroimaging. The postdoctoral scholar will also work closely with Drs. Catherine Lebel (University of Calgary) and Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen (UBC) to study brain development in young children as it relates to prenatal and postnatal environments. Data will come from an ongoing study of prenatal distress and child development, the Pregnancy during the COVID-19 Pandemic study.

Dr. Oberlander is a Developmental Pediatrician, Professor, Department of Pediatrics and School of Population and Public Health, studying how early experiences influence child development. Dr. Lebel is an Associate Professor in the Department of Radiology (University of Calgary) with extensive experience investigating structural and functional brain development in childhood, and brain abnormalities in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Dr. Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen is a clinical psychologist with expertise in perinatal mental health and health psychology. Postdoctoral scholars will be based in the Oberlander Lab, a curiosity-driven learning environment at BC Children’s Hospital Research Instutute (BCCHRI) that focuses on accelerating our understanding of biological and behavioral factors underlying variations in early human development.

The goal of the program is to support a recent PhD or MD graduate in conducting clinical and translational research at BCCHR with the intent to develop future leaders in child developmental health research. Applicants should have training in neuroscience, psychology, medical sciences (Pediatrics), or other relevant discipline, and experience with MR image acquisition, processing, and/or analysis.

The program provides scholars with a generous stipend of $60,000/year plus benefits (Extended Health Plan, Dental Plan and Employee and Family Assistance Program) and additional funds are available for research-related expenses (up to $10,000/year) and for travel expenses to attend conferences (up to $3,000/year).

The Post Doctoral Scholar will be affiliated with the University of British Columbia and the BC Children’s Hospital (BCCR).  BCCHR is a University of British Columbia (UBC) Senate-approved research institute located at BC Children’s Hospital and BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre in Vancouver, BC. BCCHR is the largest pediatric research facility in western Canada with over 200 faculty members whose research areas include cancer, developmental neurosciences, diabetes, nutrition & metabolism, genetics, immunity and infection, reproduction, molecular medicine, health services, global health, and new technologies. For more information, visit http://www.bcchr.ca.

This position is located within a health-care facility, therefore, the successful candidate will be required to provide verification of full vaccination against Covid-19 provided prior to the start date, as required by a provincial health mandate. This offer is conditional upon successful completion of a Criminal Record Check Applicants should submit a letter of interest, CV, graduate transcript(s), and names and contact information for at least two references to toberlander@bcchr.ca.

* Please note that this position is for a placement at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, but is in collaboration with our lab *


FASD Success Show Short – New Research with Dr. Catherine Lebel

Listen to the Podcast featuring Dr. Lebel here: https://www.fasdsuccess.com/blog/podcast-episode-104

PDCP -12 Month MRI Scanning

Back in 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, our lab collaborated with two other labs to launch a study that catered towards individuals who were pregnant during this time period. As a sub-study off the main project, we started exploring the brains of the babies involved through Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Our initial age group was around the 3 month mark and we have now began scanning 12 month olds. We are excited to continue to journey with these infants as we investigate their development over the years!

Brain Canada Mental Health Research Program

Take a look at how our very own, Dr. Catherine Lebel, uses technology to advance postpartum mental health and child brain development initiatives.

Outdoor Lab Gathering

We were so delighted to finally be able to see each other in person since the COVID restrictions were set in place. Here is a photo from our first lab outdoor gathering since last year!

Brain Mapping Seminar White Matter Development Talk

Our associate professor, Catherine Lebel, presented a talk on how white matter matures throughout childhood and adolescence. Here is a quick blurb on the talk:

“Brain white matter matures throughout childhood and adolescence, and this maturation can be measured in different ways. The most commonly used method is diffusion tensor imaging, which is highly sensitive to white matter changes, but not very specific. Longitudinal data is essential to appropriately measure changes over time, but relatively few studies have used longitudinal neuroimaging to characterize white matter development within participants. In this talk, I will share some of the recent work from my lab looking at typical white matter development from early childhood to adolescence using diffusion imaging and other white matter imaging techniques. I will also present results showing atypical brain connectivity and brain development in young children with prenatal alcohol exposure, and in infants and children who experienced prenatal maternal psychological distress.”