Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital (Holland Bloorview) is proud to announce that Dr. Azadeh Kushki, a senior scientist at the Bloorview Research Institute and an associate professor at the University of Toronto’s Institute of Biomedical Engineering, has been named Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Neurodiversity and Personalized Health. This prestigious Tier 2 appointment recognizes Dr. Kushki’s pioneering work in research aimed at improving outcomes for neurodivergent children, including autistic children and those with ADHD.
“We are honored to have Dr. Kushki in our midst,” says Dr. Evdokia Anagnostou, Vice-President of Research and Director of the Bloorview Research Institute. “Her research paves the way toward a future of tailored, individualized health care that considers each child’s unique biology and environment, with an emphasis on enabling a personalized vision of a good life for children and youth with neurodevelopmental differences and disability.”
Dr. Kushki’s research program advances precision health through innovative methods to identify groups of children that share similar biologies, regardless of their diagnostic label. Her team also uses data science, artificial intelligence, and wearable technology to study how environmental factors impact children’s experiences of distress and to develop predictive models for individualized responses to interventions and supports. These methods lay the foundation for proactive, personalized care strategies that reflect each child’s unique needs.
“This Canada Research Chair appointment enables our team to advance the field of personalized health for neurodivergent children in partnership with clinicians and neurodivergent communities. This will ultimately inform approaches that provide every child with the supports they need, when they need it, to realize their vision of a good life.” says Dr. Kushki.
Dr. Kushki’s research aligns with Holland Bloorview’s mission to foster every child’s most meaningful future. Her work advances the Bloorview Research Institute’s strategic goals in data science and precision health.
For more details, please visit the official announcement by the Canada Research Chairs Program.
