The department is pleased to announce that Dr. Jill Zwicker has received the Career Development Award from the Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientist Program! This 4-year salary award will support Jill in growing her program of research on developmental coordination disorder (DCD). DCD is one of the most common motor disorders in children, and significantly interferes with a child’s ability to learn motor skills and to perform everyday activities. As a result, children with DCD often experience secondary psychosocial difficulties, including poor self-esteem, depression, anxiety, loneliness and social isolation.
Under the mentorship of Dr. Tim Oberlander, Professor, Department of Pediatrics at Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children, and Dr. Deborah Giaschi, Professor in Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, and Director of Operations for the Child and Family Research Imaging Facility, Jill’s program of research will aim to understand the neural basis of DCD and to use neuroimaging to assess the effectiveness of rehabilitation intervention for children with this disorder. Her research will also aim to explore predictors of DCD by identifying children with this disorder in a longitudinal prospective cohort of premature newborns and examining associations with clinical risk factors and early brain development.
The department congratulates Jill on her award and her emerging program of research!