Clinicians, researchers, and trainees studying how early-life brain conditions shape lifelong health, and the long road families travel with them.
Lab lead
Dr. Mary Dunbar
Pediatric neurologist, Alberta Children's Hospital
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Calgary
Lead, Perinatal Brain Journeys Lab
Dr. Dunbar provides comprehensive neurological care from fetal life through age 18, including care for pregnant people with an affected fetus. With training in neuroscience and epidemiology, her research uses clinical data such as databases, surveys, and brain imaging to better understand conditions affecting the developing brain. She works closely with the Canadian Cerebral Palsy Registry to study long-term outcomes of perinatal brain conditions, with the goal of improving evidence and support for everyone affected by early-life brain conditions.
Research trainees
PhD student · Neuroscience
Omar Kinawi
Omar Kinawi (he/him) is a PhD student in Neuroscience based at the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and the Hotchkiss Brain Institute. He completed his Bachelor of Science at the University of Calgary, specializing in Exercise and Health Physiology. His work as a registered Kinesiologist with Active Living Rehabilitation and Fitness fostered his interest in stroke research. Omar uses advanced MRI to investigate sex differences in perinatal stroke, comparing silent and symptomatic presentations to understand why females are at greater risk of delayed diagnosis. Outside the lab he serves as Vice-President of the ACHRI Trainee Association, volunteers in his community, and enjoys swimming and volleyball.
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MSc student · Neuroscience
Ayat Zarrouk
Ayat is an MSc student in Neuroscience based at the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and Hotchkiss Brain Institute. Her project examines the role of infant sex in determining the clinical symptoms and electrophysiologic characteristics of perinatal arterial ischemic stroke.
Honors Neuroscience BSc · University of Calgary
Kai Suzuki
Kai is an honors Neuroscience BSc student at the University of Calgary. Her first project with the lab, as a summer student, examined the characteristics of children with cerebral palsy who have no signs at birth. She has contributed to systematic reviews and is now working on her honors thesis on language development in children born moderate-to-late preterm.
Clinical and undergraduate trainees
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Saloni Sharma
Medical student
Saloni Sharma is a medical student conducting research about fetal stroke.
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Alexis Miskiewicz-Tomaszyk
Pediatric neurology resident
Dr. Miskiewicz-Tomaszyk is a pediatric neurology resident working with Dr. Dunbar to study cerebral palsy characteristics in children born moderate-to-late preterm.
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Tanisha Patel
Bioscience
Tanisha Patel is studying Bioscience and is conducting research about fetal stroke.
