Dr. Simon Dobson joined the Vaccine Evaluation Centre in 1991. Dr. Dobson’s main research interests include hepatitis B, meningococcal and herpes simplex vaccines and human papilloma virus (HPV). He is an infectious disease specialist at Children's Hospital and is the department head.Dr. Julie Bettinger joined the Vaccine Evaluation Centre in 2003 as the lead epidemiologist. Dr. Bettinger works in close collaboration with the IMPACT team. Dr. Jan Dutz joined the Vaccine Evaluation Centre in 2001 and is currently conducting leading-edge research on the use of topical gels to enhance immune response to vaccines. Dr. Tobias Kollman joined the Vaccine Evaluation Centre in 2006. Dr. Kollman's main research interest is to learn which aspects of the newborn's immune system work well, then use this knowledge to identify immune modulators or vaccine adjuvants that would help protect newborns. His lab uses state-of-the-art technology (flow cytometry, real-time PCR, SNP genome screens, microarrays, etc.) to get the most information.Dr. Laura Sauvé joined the Vaccine Evaluation Centre in 2007. Dr. Sauvé's main research interests include vaccine preventable disease, global child health, and respiratory viruses. She is the BC site investigator for the IMPACT program. She is also working on global health projects, including a long term child health research project in the Western Cape, South Africa and a planned project on improving the care of acutely ill children in rural Uganda.
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Gordean Bjornson has been with the Centre since it was opened in 1988 and is a member of the senior management team. She is the Financial Manager for the VEC and the Executive Assistant for the CAIRE network.
Arlene Kallos is a Clinical Trial Unit Manager, as well as senior Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) with more than 20 years of experience in vaccine research. She is a member of the centre’s senior management team. Carol LaJeunesse is a Clinical Trial Unit Manager, as well as senior Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) with more than 25 years of experience in vaccine research. She is a member of the centre’s senior management team. Judy Needham is a CRC who joined the team in 2008 after completing the Clinical Research Program at the British Columbia Institute of Technology.The field team also has part-time research nurses and research assistants.
Karen Kroeker is the IMPACT nurse monitor for Children’s Hospital.Debbe Heayn is the quality assurance officer for the IMPACT project. She has been a part of the VEC since 1994.
Kimberly Marty is the Data Manager and a member of the centre’s senior management team. She has been a part of the VEC since 1991. Wenli Zhang joined the VEC in 2006. She is the Data Co-ordinator. Shuyu Fan joined the VEC in 2008. She is the Statistician. Engie Grove is a Research Assistant supporting the data team.
The VEC has as accessioning laboratory. Carol LaJeunesse is the lab manager.
Cecilia Jankowski has been the primary secretarial support for the centre since 1999. Two Research Assistants supporting the data, clinical and laboratory teams are Kimberly LaJeunesse and Tanya Bajwa.Updated 15 March 2012