Dr. Liisa Holsti's research focuses on ways to optimize the neurodevelopment of infants and children. Dr. Holsti is a faculty member of the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. She trained in Rehabilitation Medicine, received her M.A. in measurement and statistics, and a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies. She has held a Canada Research Chair in Neonatal Health and Development for two terms.
One of her projects, OptiDev, is focused on developing and testing a culturally-appropriate, easy-to-use screening tool for neurodevelopment in children 0-5 years of age. Up to 1/3rd of children who survive sepsis will be left with delays or permanent deficits in neurodevelopment (e.g., motor and/or cognitive skills). Yet screening for these deficits is challenging in LMICs, where most cases of sepsis occurs, as there are currently no culturally appropriate, easy-to-use neurodevelopmental screening tools are available for frontline health workers with limited neurodevelopment training. OptiDev seeks to address this challenge.
Currently, Dr. Holsti is validating OptiDev with 200 infants with collaborator Dr. Lisa Bebell (Harvard Center for AIDS Research), lead investigator for the Placentas, Antibodies and Child Outcomes (PACO) prospective cohort study at the Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST). A sub-aim of the PACO study is to determine how HIV transmission and treatment in mothers and their newborns relates to later neurodevelopment in the infants. Dr. Holsti will evaluate the internal validity of OptiDev and its concurrent validity against the Bayley Scales of Infant Development III, the current gold standard, with newborns enrolled in the PACO study.
Dr Holsti will be presenting on OptiDev at the BCCHR Healthy Starts Research Day, Session 3, on June 2nd, 2021.