Creative Professional Activities
Empowering Women and Improving Maternal and Child Health (MCH)
I have been involved in research projects related to the initiation and scale-up of the MCH Handbook in developed and developing countries. The MCH Handbook was initially designed in Japan after World War II. Since its publication, the MCH handbook has grown tremendously and expanded into more than 50 countries. MCH Handbooks are home-based records that provide mothers and their children with essential health education, facilitate two-way communication between families and health workers, and record health information. During my tenure in Japan (2001-2010), I developed new insights into the importance of health promotion by developing and disseminating the Maternal and Child Health Handbook (MCH Handbook).
Health Challenges and Equity
I was a Senior Scientist and Senior Manager at the Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN) from 2010 to 2012. The OHTN is a collaborative network of researchers, health service providers, policymakers, community members, and people living with HIV who work together to promote excellence and innovation in HIV treatment, research, and education in Ontario. My primary focus was on community-based collaborative research project development and management. I also managed OHTN’s extramural research program, helped organize an annual research conference, and was responsible for the day-to-day mentoring and supervision of research coordinators, graduate students, and other staff members at the OHTN. My role at OHTN also provided insight into some of the health challenges and equity issues facing vulnerable and marginalized populations in Canada. It provided exposure to opportunities for community-based research in Canada.
Development of Innovative Health Education Programs
After identifying a capacity-building gap for international medical professionals in Canada, I designed an innovative educational program [Internationally Trained Medical Doctors (ITMD) Bridging Program]. I collaborated with multiple Ryerson University departments and later the Government of Ontario to obtain funding, pilot, and grow the program. I have recruited over 25 institutional partners in the Greater Toronto area, including leading healthcare organizations such as the Hospital for Sick Children, St. Michael’s Hospital, and Women’s College Hospital, to provide practicum opportunities for our students, and I continue to act as Academic Director of the program. Due to its success, it is now being studied in the Netherlands and Japan for possible implementation.
Exemplary Funded Projects
- Internationally Trained Medical Doctors (ITMD) Bridge Training Program ($1.85 million) Government of Ontario and Ryerson University, Ontario, Canada, Principal Investigator, 2017-2022
- Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) Centers for HIV/ Aids Research ($3.02 million) Canadian Institute of Health Research, Ontario, Canada, Co-Investigator, 2010 – 2014
- Human Resources Development in Reproductive Health (HRDRH) Project ($1.1 million) Japanese Technical Cooperation, Principal Investigator, 2000 – 2001
Publication Records
Currently, I have about 50 peer-reviewed journal publications (h-index 10).
