Dr. Simone Vigod of Women’s College Hospital and the University of Toronto is the 2021 winner of The Royal-Mach-Gaensslen Prize for Mental Health Research. It’s the most prestigious prize in Canada for mental health researchers and is awarded on an annual basis to an outstanding individual whose work enables future exploration and discovery.
Vigod’s research explores a unique population at a very specific time in life ¬– the perinatal period – the time leading up to, during, and after pregnancy.
Mental health challenges affect ~1 in 10 women and individuals around the time of pregnancy, and is linked to long-term maternal morbidity, child socio-emotional, cognitive and medical difficulties, and maternal and child mortality. With ~400,000 national births each year, mental health challenges affects up to 40,000 Canadians and their children annually.
There is a large gap between “what we know” and “what we do”, with as few as 1 in 5 individuals affected by mental health challenges around the time of pregnancy receiving the care they need.
Vigod’s research provides valuable insights into risk factors, treatments and consequences of perinatal mental health challenges, and her findings provide leadership in how to deliver care, including how to balance mental health with medication risks, and in design and testing of novel interventions to ensure timely and effective treatment.
Her work has the potential to change the way care is delivered for pregnant women and people with mental health challenges, and promises to have substantial long-term impact on child and family health in Canada and worldwide.
Celebrate Dr. Simone Vigod and learn more about her research on November 30 at The Royal-Mach-Gaensslen Prize for Mental Health award ceremony. It’s free to attend but registration is required. Click here for more information.
The Royal-Mach-Gaensslen Prize for Mental Health Research was jointly established in 2015 by the University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research at The Royal and the Mach-Gaensslen Foundation of Canada and is awarded on an annual basis to an outstanding mental health researcher enabling future exploration and discovery.
Learn more about The Royal-Mach-Gaensslen Prize for Mental Health Research and other research initiatives during The Royal’s Research Week, November 29-December 3, 2021.
About Research Week
During this week, we have an exciting schedule of activities planned to highlight the many ways that Research at The Royal’s team of world-class scientists, researchers and students are enhancing prevention, intervention and innovation in the mental health and substance use health.
For further details visit theroyal.ca or contact:
Michaela Berniquez, Communications Coordinator
michaela.berniquez@theroyal.ca | +1 (613) 218-5225