Alène A. Toulany
Principal Investigator – MD, M.Sc., FRCPC
The Toulany Lab is led by Dr. Alène Toulany, an Adolescent Medicine Specialist Physician at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), a health services researcher at SickKids Research Institute and an Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics within the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.
She also has formal institutional scientific affiliations at ICES, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME) and the U of T Centre for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety.
Dr. Alène Toulany
Dr. Toulany has established an extensive research network including provincial, national and international experts in transition through Children’s Healthcare Canada’s Transition Hub – a national collaborative working to create a knowledge mobilization network to bridge the gap between current treatment practices and evidence-based solutions for transition to adult care in Canada.
She has also co-chaired a provincial advisory committee comprised of adolescents, caregivers, and clinicians to develop Ontario’s new Transitions from Youth to Adult Health Care Services Quality Standard. This work was done in partnership with Ontario Health and Provincial Council of Maternal and Child Health (PCMCH).
In addition, Dr. Toulany is actively engaged in national advocacy work through the CPS Adolescent Health Committee. She co-led the development of a CPS position statement calling for action to improve transition for youth with complex health care needs and address key barriers. She also co-led another fundamental CPS statement on issues related to privacy and confidentiality in adolescent health-care delivery.
Research staff
Tomisin John
Clinical Research Project Coordinator
Tomisin John
Tomisin works under Dr. Toulany on the Quality Indicators for Transition project as well as the development of a Transition to Adult Care (TAC) clinical program for patients with complex medical conditions.
Tomisin holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Ontario Tech University and a Master of Public Health degree from Brock University. Prior to pursuing her graduate degree, she had been a registered nurse for over four years and worked in various community hospital paediatric departments.
Her research interests include quality of health, health policies, social determinants of health and health promotion.
Dorothy Luong
Clinical Project Manager
Dorothy Luong
Dorothy Luong is the Research Project Manager for the Quality Indicators for Transition project.
Dorothy is a Research Associate at The KITE Research Institute, University Health Network. She works with Dr. Sarah Munce under her program of research related to developing, implementing, and evaluating transitional care programs.
Dorothy completed a M.Sc. in Rehabilitation Sciences at Queen’s University and an Honours B.Sc. in Health Studies, with a minor in Psychology at the University of Waterloo.
Her research interests include qualitative research, mental health, and patient experiences of health services and interventions.
Camille Odina
Administrative Assistant
Camille Odina
Camille has a wide range of work experiences. She previously worked at Markham Stouffville Hospital in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She also supported the Paediatrics & Postpartum Unit and Labour & Delivery Unit. Prior to working in the health services field, Camille was an Early Childhood Educator working in daycares and private schools.
Naba Khan
Clinical Research Project Coordinator
Naba Khan
Naba Khan is a Clinical Research Project Coordinator at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).
Naba works under Dr. Toulany on the CIHR Health Youth Catalyst Grant project on the effects of screen use on sexual health attitudes, behaviours, and risks.
Naba is completing her M.A. in Health at York University with a specialization in Health Policy and Equity. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto, where she majored in Global Health and Political Science.
In her spare time, Naba enjoys sewing and learning new skills such as ice skating.
Vjura Senthilnathan
Clinical Research Project Coordinator
Vjura Senthilnathan
She is currently a M.Sc. candidate at the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto. Vjura completed her Honours Bachelor of Science at the University of Toronto Scarborough in 2021, where she specialized in Neuroscience and minored in Biology and Psychology.
Vjura works under Dr. Toulany on projects related to youth with chronic illnesses and those transitioning to adult care.
She enjoys baking and watching movies during her spare time.
Trainees
Katherine Bailey
MD Student
Katherine Baily
Under the supervision of Dr. Toulany, she concurrently pursued an M.Sc. through the Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation at the University of Toronto during the first two years of her medical training.
Her research interests include evaluating local and system-level healthcare quality and improving the transition from paediatric to adult care.
Elliott Wong
MD Student
Elliott Wong
As Elliott grew up, he learned to care for his special-needs sister who requires around-the-clock care. This motivated him to care for special needs individuals and conduct research to improve the diagnosis and management of individuals with complex, multifactorial illnesses.
In the Toulany Lab, Elliott is refining quality indicators for youth transitioning to adult care. He is also helping expand knowledge on best practices for engaging and walking alongside special needs individuals and family members on their health-care journey.
Justin Rao
MD Student
Justin Rao
Justin completed a Bachelor of Medical Sciences at the University of Western Ontario and is currently a second-year medical student at the University of Toronto.
He is passionate about working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disability which contributed to his motivation to engage in research that aims to improve healthcare outcomes for these patients and similar populations.
In the Toulany Lab, Justin is working as a student researcher on a project aiming to refine quality indicators for transition-aged youth and characterize patient engagement strategies in consensus building healthcare initiatives.
Soliana Lijiam
Undergraduate Research Student
Soliana Lijiam
In the Toulany Lab, Soliana works as a research student and youth investigator on a project investigating the effects of childhood screen use on sexual health attitudes, behaviours and risks for Canadian youth.
Beyond her work, Soliana is a passionate visual artist and enjoys spending time in nature.
William Mazin
Undergraduate Research Student
William Mazin
In the Toulany Lab, William is a Co-Investigator on a CIHR-funded project investigating the effect screen use has on Canadian youth’s sexual behaviours. The study also hopes to better understand the risks youth take as a result of their media exposure during childhood.
Outside the lab, William enjoys photography and taking care of his plants.
Jana Haddad
Undergraduate Research Student
Jana Haddad
Jana Haddad is currently a Life Sciences student at the University of Toronto, double majoring in Global Health and Biology.
In the Toulany lab, Jana is a research student supporting a Scoping Review on Self-harm among adolescents within Sub-Sahran Africa.
Jana has a keen interest in the policy making aspect of global health, and wishes to continue her studies in research within Global Health.
Training opportunities
Dr. Toulany supervises graduate students from the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME) at the University of Toronto, with a concentration on youth/adolescent health.
Her research encompasses initiatives aimed at enhancing outcomes for youth transitioning from paediatric to adult care services, as well as evaluating health system interventions involving youth. Specific areas of focus include adolescent and young adult health outcomes and service delivery, obesity, mental illness and physical-mental comorbidities.
Prospective students are encouraged to visit the IHPME website for more information and contact Dr. Toulany through our lab email inbox.