Jennifer deBruyn

Dr. Jennifer deBruyn

Positions

Associate Professor

Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics

Child Health & Wellness Researcher

Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute

Background

Educational Background

Bach of Med Sci, University of Alberta, 2002

Doctor of Medicine, University of Alberta, 2003

Research

Areas of Research

Gastroenterology, Immune-Mediated Disorders, Inflammation, Vaccination

 

Jennifer's primary research interest is in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). More specifically, she is interested in how children with IBD respond immunologically to immunizations. Because immune-suppressing therapies predispose children with IBD to more frequent and severe reactions, immunizations are important in the health prevention of children with IBD. However, limited evidence is available about the ability of children with IBD to achieve appropriate immune responses to immunizations.

Jennifer is also interested in the use of abdominal ultrasonography in children with IBD. Ultrasongraphy is a relatively inexpensive and safe method of imaging the abdomen in children. She will be evaluating the ability of ultrasonography to measure disease extent and severity in children with IBD. Jennifer will also be evaluating the correlations between abdominal ultrasonography and other important variables in IBD including clinical activity, other modes of diagnostic imaging, laboratory parameters, and endoscopy.

Participation in university strategic initiatives