Best Lives
Best Lives
Podcast Description
Bringing you the latest in pediatric research from BC Children's Hospital Research Institute. We highlight investigators, clinicians, and their trainees here at the research institute whose work is helping kids live their healthiest, happiest lives.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast centers around pediatric health research, highlighting diverse topics such as vaccine education, mental health in children, and innovations in pediatric therapies. For instance, episodes include discussions on HPV vaccine education, barriers to uptake, and the role of schools in promoting health awareness.
Bringing you the latest in pediatric research from BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. We highlight researchers, clinicians, and their trainees here at the Research Institute whose work is helping kids live their healthiest, happiest lives. The Best Lives podcast is a leading Canadian pediatric medicine and research podcast!
Canada has one of the highest rates of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the world, with approximately one in 140 Canadians currently diagnosed — a number expected to climb to one in 100 by 2030.
In this episode, registered dietitian and PhD student Mathilde Wilhelmy joins us to discuss CALINA-IBD, a new study from Dr. Genelle Lunken's Lab at BC Children's Hospital Research Institute and UBC. The study is exploring how the maternal gut microbiome and diet during pregnancy, along with breastmilk composition, may shape infant gut inflammation and long-term health.
The conversation unpacks what fecal calprotectin (FCP) is, why infants naturally have higher levels than adults, and how elevated infant FCP has been linked to later risks of asthma, eczema, and atopic dermatitis. Mathilde also discusses why the team is paying attention to certain anti-inflammatory bacteria, well-established benefits of a Mediterranean-style diet for gut microbiome diversity, and what human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) — the special sugars found almost exclusively in breastmilk — might reveal about how to better support at-risk infants. She walks through the four-timepoint study design, the at-home participant experience, and a machine learning collaboration with Dr. Amy Lee at SFU that aims to one day help clinicians identify higher-risk infants earlier and guide more personalized care.
Learn more about the topics discussed in this episode:
CALINA-IBD study, Lunken Lab, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute
Exploring the gut microbiota and dietary contributors to elevated infant fecal calprotectin in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: A pilot study (CALINA-IBD), ClinicalTrials.gov
Interested in participating? Click here to take the screening questionnaire.
Please note: The CALINA-IBD study also collects breast milk samples and breast skin swabs at two postpartum timepoints (two weeks and three months). This portion of the study is optional.
Participants who choose to take part will be provided with all necessary collection materials. A breast pump can also be provided if they do not already have one at home.
For more information, please contact the study team at [email protected].
All episodes written and produced by the Research Communications team at BC Children's Hospital Research Institute.
Theme music: ”Life Is Beautiful” by Anastasia Kir
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