Research into the Enhancement of Acute Care for Children’s Health (REACH) is excited to introduce the 2026 REACH Grant Awardees and celebrate the innovative research being supported through the REACH Grant Program.
These awards recognize researchers whose work is helping advance pediatric care and address important challenges facing children and families. We are pleased to spotlight these awardees and share a glimpse into the impactful projects they will be undertaking.
CATALYST GRANT RECIPIENTS
Dr. Jennifer Protudjer, PhD, FAAAAI
Dr. Jennifer Protudjer is an Endowed Research Chair in Allergy, Asthma and the Environment and Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of Manitoba. She is also the Associate Director of Research and Director of the Pediatric Graduate Program in the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, a Research Scientist at the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Foods and Human Nutritional Sciences at the University of Manitoba. She is an affiliated researcher at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, where she completed two postdoctoral fellowships.
Her research focuses on environmental risk factors for allergic disease, strategies for the primary and secondary prevention of allergy, and the societal consequences of allergic disease. She has extensive experience in food allergy and quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research, and has contributed to the development of educational programs in pediatric graduate education and food allergy.
Funded Project
First Bites, Big Worries: A Patient-Engaged Study to Explore Acute Care Use for Anaphylaxis and Parental Concerns About Early Allergen Introduction
About the Project
Introducing solid foods is an important part of a baby’s early development, and research has shown that introducing common allergens, such as peanut and egg, during infancy can help prevent food allergy. However, many parents remain concerned that introducing these foods could trigger a severe allergic reaction.
This project has two key goals: first, to examine whether emergency visits for severe allergic reactions in infants have changed since Canada began recommending early allergen introduction in 2019; and second, to work alongside patient partners to develop parent-friendly information that supports early allergen introduction and addresses parental concerns.
By better understanding both healthcare use and parents’ experiences, this project aims to support informed feeding decisions, reduce anxiety around early allergen introduction, and contribute to efforts to prevent food allergy.
Dr. Ayman Sheta
Dr. Sheta is a neonatologist and clinician-scientist with advanced training in neonatal-perinatal medicine, neonatal hemodynamics, transport medicine, and neonatal research. After completing his pediatric training in Egypt and neonatal fellowship training in Calgary, he pursued further fellowship training at The Hospital for Sick Children in neonatal transport and advanced NICU research, where he also served as Project Manager for the Artificial Placenta Project.
Since joining the University of Manitoba in 2021, Dr. Sheta has served as Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Program Director and has increasingly focused his academic work on neonatal research, innovation, and the development of practical technologies and care approaches for critically ill newborns and their families. He is the Section of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba.
Funded Project
Virtual NICU Journey: A Feasibility Study of Virtual Reality (VR)-Enhanced Antenatal Counselling for Families Facing Expected Preterm Delivery
About the Project
This project will develop and evaluate a virtual reality/360-degree NICU experience to complement antenatal counselling for families expecting a preterm baby. The experience will help families become familiar with the NICU environment, common equipment, care processes, and ways they can participate in their baby’s care before delivery. The goal is to make counselling clearer, more consistent, and easier to understand during a stressful time.
The pilot will assess the feasibility and acceptability of this approach and explore its potential to improve parental understanding, preparedness, and confidence before NICU admission.
TRAINEE GRANT RECIPIENTS
Dr. Mohamed Habib
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellow | University of Manitoba
Dr. Mohamed Habib is a Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellow at the University of Manitoba with more than 10 years of clinical experience in neonatology. His research focuses on family-centred approaches to improving outcomes for preterm and critically ill newborns, with interests in human milk, neonatal brain injury, and translational neonatal research.
Funded Project
Two-Timepoint Soluble and Cellular Bioactive Profiling of Fresh Mother’s Own Milk in Extremely Preterm Infants Receiving Intranasal Milk Therapy: A Feasibility Study
About the Project
This feasibility study will examine the cellular and soluble bioactive components of fresh mother’s own milk collected at two time points during the first week after birth. By developing a practical approach to milk collection and laboratory analysis, the project will generate foundational data to support future research exploring how mother’s own milk may contribute to neuroprotection and improved outcomes in extremely preterm infants.
Makeda Muluneh
MSc Student, Pediatrics and Child Health | University of Manitoba
Makeda Muluneh is a second-year MSc student in Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of Manitoba, under the supervision of Dr. Jennifer Protudjer. Her research explores pediatric pre-hospital epinephrine use and how children and families experience and respond to anaphylaxis emergencies.
Funded Project
A Mixed Methods Investigation into Pediatric Pre-Hospital Epinephrine Use: Urban–Rural Disparities in Manitoba and Caregiver Perspectives on Intramuscular Versus Intranasal Administration
About the Project
Makeda’s project brings together quantitative and qualitative research to better understand how epinephrine is used before children arrive at the emergency department. By examining urban–rural differences alongside caregiver experiences and treatment preferences, the study aims to identify opportunities to improve responses to anaphylaxis and support safer outcomes for children and families at risk of life-threatening allergic reactions.
Congratulations to all of the 2026 REACH Grant Awardees! REACH is proud to support this innovative research and look forward to seeing the impact of the work on children and families.