Heather Macdonald

Dr. Macdonald is an Assistant Professor in the UBC Department of Orthopaedics, a Level 1 Scientist at the Child & Family Research Institute and a member of the Centre for Hip Health & Mobility. Dr. Macdonald’s research interests are in the area of pediatric bone health and physical activity. Specifically, Dr. Macdonald is investigating how advanced imaging techniques such as high-resolution peripheral QCT (HR-pQCT) can be used to evaluate the effects of various chronic diseases on bone quality in the growing skeleton. In addition, Dr. Macdonald has extensive experience in the design, implementation and evaluation of school-based physical activity interventions some of which have resulted in significant policy changes at the provincial level related to physical activity in children and youth (e.g., Action Schools! BC). Dr. Macdonald has published more than 30 peer-reviewed papers and several book chapters in the area of bone health, physical activity and advanced bone imaging techniques. Funding from CIHR, including two multicentre team grants on which she is a co-investigator, supports her work.