The Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM) is the research division of the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba. At the Institute, more than 500 world-class pediatric medical researchers, technical staff, students, and support staff are involved in nearly $20 million of research and clinical trial activity each year. CHRIM is the first research facility dedicated exclusively to pediatric research in the prairie provinces.

CHRIM brings together top researchers from a variety of health disciplines who share a common goal of improving the health of children and youth. By including a wide range of disciplines, CHRIM has the unique ability to look at the overall picture of pediatric health – not just one area. The Institute fosters a collaborative and innovative research environment, offering hope to children and their families as researchers work towards medical breakthroughs and cures for childhood illness.

Key areas of study at CHRIM include:

The Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba is the main operating funding source for the Institute. The Foundation invests directly into research by providing core funding for research projects, and provides administrative and infrastructure supports for researchers. With the support of the Foundation and the resources provided by the Institute, CHRIM investigators have more opportunities and better success in applying for external funding.

Mission, Vision & Values

Mission

To advocate for equitable, evidence-based policies and innovations; and, to ensure an environment of equity, diversity, and inclusion that recruits, trains, and retains the best in basic, clinical, and translational research aimed at improving the lives of all pregnant people, children, youth, and families in Manitoba.

Vision

To be a national leader of knowledge, science, and innovation in health for pregnant people, children, youth and families; and, to become a recognized champion for health and healthcare equity for all pregnant people, children, youth, and families in Manitoba by 2026.

Values

We are committed to:

• Viewing everything we do through a lens of equity, diversity, and inclusion to help ensure health equity, anti-poverty, and anti-racism in health research and healthcare delivery for all pregnant people, children, youth, and families
• Being mindful of how we identify problems, approach research topics, engage others, collect data, report on results, and apply the resulting research evidence
• Being open to diverse perspectives and ways of doing things
• Engaging interdisciplinary collaborators and community partners in research and the co-creation of knowledge
• Ensuring excellence and integrity in health research and healthcare delivery for all pregnant people, children, youth, and families
• Committing to environmental sustainability practices
• Educating others with respect to these values

History

Pediatric research has a long and well-respected history in Manitoba, dating back to at least 1925. Manitoba’s pediatric researchers have received international acclaim and made important contributions to many areas of research including respirology, allergy and clinical immunology, genetics, and neonatology.

A dependable source of funding for pediatric research did not exist in Manitoba until 1959 when the Children’s Hospital Research Fund was created. That fund led to the establishment of the Children’s Hospital Foundation in 1971. Since then, the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba (CHFM) has continued to successfully raise and distribute millions of dollars each year for child health research and care.

In 2001, the CHFM created the Manitoba Institute of Child Health, which changed its name to the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM) in 2015. As the research division of the Foundation, the Institute took over the administration of all Foundation research support programs and oversaw the development and strategic expansion of operations of the 5^th floor of the John Buhler Research Centre.

In 2008, CHRIM expanded to the 6^th floor of the John Buhler Research Centre, allowing for the development of state of the art collaborative lab spaces and additional office space for researchers. This expansion made CHRIM the largest pediatric research facility in the Canadian prairies.

Our Team

Andrew Halayko Brandy Wicklow Cheryl Rockman-Greenberg	Acting Interim Chief Executive Officers
Vacant	Scientific Director
Kelly Ross	Director of Human Resources
David Borzykowski	Director of Communications & Knowledge Mobilization
Ingrid Brigham	Director of Finance
Dr. Brandy Wicklow	Research Support Unit (RSU) Medical Director
Dr. Lauren Kelly	RSU Clinical Trials Director
Lise Bourrier, RN	RSU Program Manager
Jeannine Schellenberg, RN	RSU Trial Manager
Brianna Hunt	Patient Engagement Coordinator
Vacant	Finance Coordinator
Kathy Chmelnytzki	RSU Financial Coordinator
Sam Sporich	Graphic Designer
Savanna Lubimiv	Communications Manager
Rich LeDuc	Director of Bioinformatics
Amanda Pascoe	Research Program Manager
Lorraine Hernaez	Executive Assistant
Lana Peters	HR Advisor
Vacant	Strategic Initiatives Coordinator
Emily Turner-Brannen	Lead Technologist & Facilities Manager

Board of Directors

• Zoé Nakata, Chair
• Scott Lancaster, Past Chair
• Josh Lieberman, Vice Chair
• Angela Matwick, Secretary
• Chris Kauenhofen, Treasurer 
• Dr. Afshin Raouf
• Dr. Jude Uzonna
• Dr. Meaghan Jones
• Dr. Richard Keijzer
• Dr. Adena Madison
• Cheryl Moser
• Laura Matlashewski, CHFM Chair
• Dr. Kelly Russell
• Jane MacKay
• Chloé Janse van Rensburg
• Muriel Shorting
• Adam Vander Linden
• Jamie McCallum
• Jill Parsonage
• Graham Schellenberg
• Taylor Bramwell

Ex-Officio

• Dr. Patricia Birk
• Stefano Grande
• Andrew Halayko
• Brandy Wicklow
• Cheryl Rockman-Greenberg