Catherine Birken, MD, M.Sc., FRCPC
The Hospital for Sick Children
Staff Paediatrician
Paediatric Medicine
Research Institute
Senior Scientist
Child Health Evaluative Sciences
University of Toronto
Professor
Deaprtment of Paediatrics
Phone: 416-813-7654 X 301544
Fax: 416-813-5979
Email: catherine.birken@sickkids.ca
For more information, visit:
Brief Biography
- Completed post-graduate training as Chief Resident in Paediatrics at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in 2001.
- From 2001-2004 completed a fellowship in Academic General Paediatrics at SickKids, as well as an M.Sc. degree in Clinical Epidemiology and Health Care Research Program from the University of Toronto.
- Appointed as a Staff Paediatrician (clinical specialist), Division of Paediatric Medicine and Assistant Professor, University of Toronto in 2004.
Clinical Care Activities
- General inpatient paediatrics
- Outpatient complex obesity treatment
Research Interests
- TARGet Kids! Longitudinal cohort design and pragmatic randomized controlled trials, obesity prevention and treatment, physical activity and screen time
- Injury prevention
- Childhood obesity prevention
- Health promotion in preschool children through office practice settings
- Complex morbid obesity treatment
Learning Interests
- Child Advocacy
External Funding
• 2019-2022 Principal Investigator, PARENT: Preventing obesity in toddlers through group based parenting intervention in primary care
• 2018-2022 Co-Principal Investigator, CoMFORT (Cow’s Milk Fat Obesity pRevention Trial)
• 2014-2020 Co-Principal Investigator, Fit for School, Fit for Life: Child Health and School Readiness
• 2015-2020 Co-Principal Investigator, Team to Address Bariatric Case in Canadian Children (Team ABC3)
• 2016-2019 Principal Investigator, Addressing Obesity in Toddlers at Risk: A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Usual Care to Group-Based Parenting and Home Visits in Primary Care
Achievements
- 2012 - American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP Ontario Chapter), Pediatricians Alliance of Ontario; Special Achievement Award
- 2011 - Dr. William Feldman Award for Excellence in Paediatric Medicine Research, Division of Paediatric Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children
- 2004 - The Children's Hospital Foundation Award for Excellence in Research - First Place, Fellow, Children's Hospital Foundation of Manitoba and the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
- 2004 - Paediatric Research Award, Subspecialty Paediatrics Research award, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto
- 2002 - Graduate Student Union M.Sc. Posters Award, Research award, Department of Health Policy Management and Evaluative Sciences, University of Toronto
Publications
A listing of Dr. Birken's publications is available on PubMed