Our research team consists of trainees and staff who work together with parents and other stakeholders to tackle the problem of poorly managed pain in children. We collaborate with a wide range of researchers across Canada and around the world who bring complementary expertise and experience.
Our work spans knowledge generation (e.g., lab-based studies, surveys), synthesis (e.g., systematic review), and translation (e.g., policy, practice).
You can also email her at christine.chambers@dal.ca.
Dr. Christine Chambers is a clinical psychologist, Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Children’s Pain and Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience & Pediatrics at Dalhousie University.
She is the Scientific Director of Solutions for Kids in Pain/Solutions pour la douleur chez l’enfant (SKIP), a national knowledge mobilization network with over 100 partners, whose mission is to improve children’s pain management by mobilizing evidence-based solutions through coordination and collaboration.
She is also the Scientific Director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (CIHR IHDCYH), supporting research that ensures the best start in life for all Canadians and the achievement of their potential for optimal growth and development.
Her research, based in the Centre for Pediatric Pain Research at the IWK Health Centre, is aimed at improving the management of children’s pain with a focus on the role of psychological and family factors in children’s pain. She has published nearly 200 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals and was identified as one of the top 10 most productive women clinical psychology professors in Canada. She is also the Principal Investigator of the #ItDoesntHaveToHurt social media initiative, in partnership with Erica Ehm’s YummyMummyClub.ca.
Dr. Chambers is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. She is the recipient of many awards and was recognized by the Women’s Executive Network as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women. She gave a TEDx talk on children’s pain and developed a YouTube video for parents about how to manage needle pain.
She is deeply committed to training. Dr. Chambers is the Assistant Director of the North American Pain School (NAPS) and has won awards for excellence in graduate supervision and mentorship.
Dr. Chambers is a leader and innovator in patient engagement, partnerships, and the mobilization of health research.
She is also the proud mother of 4 children.
Dr. Chambers and her team have published over 185 peer-reviewed papers. For a list of her publications, please see Google Scholar and PubMed
Please feel free to contact us if you would like a copy of any of these papers.
Fellow, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS)
Dennis Drotar Distinguished Research Award in Pediatric Psychology, Society of Pediatric Psychology [recognizes excellence and significant contributions in establishing the scientific base of pediatric psychology.] (2021)
Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100, WXN, Manulife Science & Technology Category (2019)
Science Champion, Discovery Awards, Discovery Centre [an individual who promotes science and technology to the public in above and beyond the normal avenues of communication.](2019)
President’s Excellence in Research Award, Research Impact, Dalhousie University [honours outstanding researchers who have made a major and impactful contribution to their field of research] (2018)
Patients First Award for Excellence and Innovation in Patient-Centred Care, Merck Canada (2018)
Outstanding Pain Mentorship Award, Canadian Pain Society [for consistently exemplifying outstanding mentorship in the training of future pain researchers and/or clinicians] (2018)
Leadership Award (Individual), Canadian Association of Paediatric Health Centres [now Children’s Healthcare Canada; in recognition of outstanding leadership by an individual who has dedicated his or her career to improving the health and well-being of children and youth in Canada through health promotion, policy initiatives and/or increased public awareness] (2017)
Research Award, IWK Health Centre [in recognition of innovation, creativity and outstanding achievement in research activities conducted and/or supported at the IWK] (2017)
First Prize, CIHR Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health Talks Video Competition, 3 Ways to Instantly Relieve your Baby’s Pain (created as part of the #ItDoesntHaveToHurt Initiative) (2017)
Gold Medal Winner, Best Online Campaign, Canadian Online Publishers Award (2016)
Award for Excellence in Graduate Supervision, Dalhousie University (2016)
Pain Awareness Award, Canadian Pain Society & Canadian Pain Coalition [for raising awareness about the problem of inadequately treated/managed pain in Canada] (2016)
Jeffrey Lawson Award for Advocacy in Children’s Pain Relief, American Pain Society [recognizing advocacy efforts to improve management of pain in children] (2016)
IWK/Dalhousie University Department of Pediatrics Research Award (2015)
Canadian Progress Club Halifax Cornwallis Women of Excellence Award in Education and Research (2012)
International Association for the Study of Pain, Ulf Lindblom Young Investigator Award for Clinical Science (2010)
Canadian Psychological Association, Clinical Psychology Section, Scientist-Practitioner Early Career Award (2010)
We provide training opportunities for students from different disciplines and at different stages of training, including postdoctoral fellows, PhD students (primarily in clinical psychology), masters students, honours/undergraduate students, as well as medical students and residents. Our team is also supported by many highly-skilled full and part-time staff.
We offer a rich and innovative environment where trainees are mentored in cutting-edge research that is being generated, synthesized and translated to improve children’s pain. We recruit and maintain a world-class group of trainees who are passionate about conducting research that makes a difference in children’s lives.
