Dr. Nicole Letourneau
PhD, MN, BN, RN
Associate Professor & Research Fellow
University of New Brunswick
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Every child deserves the best start in life - but not all of them get it. Dr. Nicole Letourneau wants to change that. She designs and tests interventions to promote the healthy development of vulnerable children, particularly those who are exposed to domestic violence or whose mothers suffer from depression.
As part of her research, Dr. Letourneau has led a clinical trial to evaluate the effect of home-based peer support on mothers' interactions with their infant children, the children's health outcomes and postpartum depression. Her application entitled "Supporting Mother-Infant Relationships Affected by Intimate Partner Violence" was the highest-rated application in CIHR's 2005 New Investigator competition.
Dr. Letourneau's research makes clear the link between early care giving and children's development. It will help policy-makers and social program delivery organizations to implement effective interventions that will allow children to overcome a poor start in life and help to create healthy adults.
Dr. Letourneau received her bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of New Brunswick in 1991, followed by her master's degree (1994) and PhD (1998), both in nursing, from the University of Alberta. After completing postdoctoral studies in 2003, she was presented with the Outstanding New Investigator in Research Award from the Canadian Association for Nursing Research and the Alumni Horizon Award for early achievement from the University of Alberta. In 2004, she received a CIHR Regional Partnerships Program New Investigator Award. Dr. Letourneau is also a Canada Research Chair (elect) in Healthy Child Development and a member of the Institute Advisory Board of CIHR's Institute of Gender and Health.
The Peter Lougheed/CIHR New Investigator Award: Canada's Premier Young Researcher is CIHR's most important career development award given to Canada's brightest young researchers at the beginning of their careers. This five-year award represents an important incentive for young researchers to pursue their work in Canada. Through this award, which is co-funded by the Peter Lougheed Medical Research Foundation, former Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed continues his legacy of championing health research in Canada.
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Dr. Miriam Stewart (left) presents The Peter Lougheed/CIHR New Investigator Award to Dr. Nicole Letourneau (right). | |
