The MYRNA team

The team of researchers stearing study!

A foursome of highly distinguished researchers from the University of Sherbrooke, Columbia University and Duke University

**Larissa Takser** M.D, Ph.D.

*Principal investigator*
Responsible for the general conceptualization of the study, Pr. Takser also oversees the management of the study and the progression of follow-ups at the CHUS. Protocols and ethical compliance are also within her purview.

Briefly put…

Her professional career has allowed Pr. Takser to develop many an area of expertise; epidemiology, public health and neurosciences with a specific interest in brain neurodevelopment, spanning from intra-uterine life to adolescence.

Pr. Takser has been a member of the Mother-Child Axis Research Center for close to two decades (CRCHUS). Her interest focuses on environmental factors that may influence the trajectory of behavioural and cognitive development of the the child.

Academic affiliations

Full professor in the department of Paediatrics, University of Sherbrooke Medical School and Health Sciences. (FMSS).

Briefly put…

His research career has focused on the mental health vulnerability of children, adolescents and their families. By putting the emphasis on MRI’s and other neurobiological approaches, Dr. Posner has sought to identify the origins and the consequences of altered neurodevelopment.

Dr. Posner is also head of his own child neuro-imaging lab, seeking to identify the underlying brain mechanisms in childhood mental health issues.

Academic affiliations

Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Sciences at Duke University.

**Jonathan E. Posner** M.D.

*Principal investigator*
Dr. Posner is responsible for the general conceptualization of the study, MRI data analysis, data management, statistical analysis and publishing of results.

**Ardesheer Talati** Ph.D.

*Chercheur principal*
Responsable for the general conceptualization of the study, Pr. Talati also supervises the choice of assessment tools and retained measurements. He is responsable for the interpretation of statistical analysis and publication of results.

Briefly put…

Pr. Talati’s area of focus is clinical, behavioural and neurobiological risks to babies and children, taking into account exposure during pregnancy in underprivileged environments. Pr. Talati also conducts research at the Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology.

Academic affiliations

Associate professor of Clinical Neurobiology and Psychiatry, Columbia University. Sackler Institute investigator, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University.

Briefly put…

Dr. Ouellet has more than fifteen years of clinical experience in patient care and the management of high risk pregnancies. She has developed her own specific expertise in pregnancy follow-up using innovative medical imagery such as foetal and placenta ultra-sound.

Academic affiliations

Full professor, Department of obstetrics-gynocology, University of Sherbrooke School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dr. Ouellet has been director of The Foetal and Maternal Medicine unit at the University of Sherbrooke. (CHUS) since 2006.

**Annie Ouellet** M.D., OB/GYN, FMM

Co-Principal Researcher
Bringing years of clinical experience to our team, Dr. Ouellet acts as expert-consultant on questions pertaining to pregnancy and the refining of the interpretation of results. Dr. Ouellet also actively participates in the recruitment of participants.

Our research team and collaborators

From left to right:: Dre. Sophie Désindes, Dr. Annie Ouellet, Dr. Jean-François Trudel (head of the department of psychiatry), Dr. Ardesheer Talati, Dr. Larissa Takser, Kevin Whitingstall (Ph.D. imagery), Dr. Jonathan Posner.