Welcome to our new blog series highlighting the work of our Azrieli CHILD-BRIGHT postdoctoral fellows!
Within the various research projects underway at the CHILD-BRIGHT Network, postdoctoral fellows play a crucial role. This year, thanks to the generous contribution of the Azrieli Foundation, we’re delighted to welcome a new cohort of up-and-coming scientists who are passionate about patient-oriented research (POR) and its incredible potential in the study of pediatric brain-based developmental disabilities. In the next few weeks, we’ll be showcasing each of our postdocs and the pivotal work they’re doing at CHILD-BRIGHT, across Canada.
training & capacity-building program
Sevinj Asgarova (she/her)
Postdoctoral fellow | School of Social Work, University of British Columbia
Sevinj is a postdoctoral fellow with the CHILD-BRIGHT Training & Capacity Building Program, which offers courses, workshops, and seminars on patient-oriented research (POR) for researchers, trainees, and patient-partners with lived experience.
Under the supervision of program co-lead Daniel Goldowitz, Sevinj is evaluating the capacity-building initiatives that support successful career paths for emerging patient-oriented researchers in the field of pediatric brain-based developmental disabilities. Currently, she's looking at the impact of CHILD-BRIGHT’s Graduate Fellowship in POR and how the program could be improved.
“I think it’s important for us to move patients into research teams and move research into improved practice, ultimately leading to better quality of care.”
Sevinj has long been interested in POR and is happy to see that there has been a concerted effort in the research world to move towards a model of patient-centred care. But a lack of training and knowledge in POR, among both researchers and patients, is a major barrier to change. This need is what ultimately drew Sevinj to CHILD-BRIGHT's Training & Capacity Building Program, where she’s helping to evaluate existing capacity-building opportunities and POR strategies.
“Listening to patient-partners will help us direct our research priorities,” says the Vancouver-based postdoc. “And in the long term, it will lead to improved outcomes in a health care system that better reflects the needs of those it serves.”
Sevinj knows that the skills and knowledge she’s acquiring will have a lasting impact on her future. “It’s a great opportunity!” she says. “I’m conducting research evaluations, disseminating my work through manuscripts and conferences, and even improving my grant writing skills.” Sevinj, who plans to focus her own research on pediatric brain-based developmental disabilities after completing the fellowship, firmly believes that everything she’s learning will help her reach the next phase in her career.