TAKE-IT TOO Team
TAKE-IT TOO is led by Dr. Bethany J. Foster from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec and Dr. Annette DeVito Dabbs from the University of Pittsburgh.
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Dr. Bethany J. Foster
Co-Principal Investigator and leads the Clinical Coordinating Centre at the McGill University Health Centre
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The major focus of my research program is long term outcomes of young kidney transplant recipients. My studies using large American databases determined that 17-24 year-olds have the highest risk of allograft failure of any age group, regardless of the age at transplant. Additional work determined that pediatric kidney transplant recipients who are transferred from a pediatric to an adult-oriented facility at an age less than 21 years have a 58% higher risk of graft failure than individuals of the same age who were transferred at greater than 21 years. Non-adherence to medications is the most likely mechanism underlying the relationships between graft failure and both of age and age at transfer. Therefore, studies targeting non-adherence are a natural extension of prior work, and provide perhaps the most important opportunity to improve graft outcomes for young kidney transplant recipients.
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Dr. Anette DeVito Dabbs
Co-Principal Investigator and leads the User-Centered Design and Qualitative Analysis Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
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I have over 35 years of clinical experience in the management of persons with chronic pulmonary conditions and hold licensure and certification as an APRN (ACNS-BC). Since beginning my academic research career in 1998, the themes of my work encompass: 1) the application of user-centered design to the development of interactive health technologies; 2) the design and evaluation of theory-driven, technology-based interventions to promote patient engagement, adherence and other self-management behaviors; 3) health-related quality of life in the setting of organ transplantation; 4) symptom management, palliative care and advanced care planning in the setting of lung transplantation; 5) expertise in qualitative and mixed-methods research techniques, including mixed-method techniques for empirical measurement of usability.
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Site Principal Investigators (PI)
Co-investigators and collaborators
Marie Achille, PhD
Co-Investigator
Université de Montréal
Annie Descoteaux
Parent collaborator
Montreal Children's Hospital
Abhinav Humar, MD
Co-Investigator
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Janet Rennick, PhD
Co-Investigator
Montreal Children's Hospital
Mellisa J. Anslow, MD
Co-Investigator
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Mary Amanda Dew, PhD
Co-Investigator
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Barbel Knauper, PhD
Co-Investigator
Montreal Children's Hospital
Xun Zhang, PhD
Co-Investigator
Montreal Children's Hospital
Lorraine Bell, MD
Collaborator
Montreal Children's Hospital
Audrey Grenier
Patient collaborator
Montreal Children's Hospital
Gillian S. Mayersohn, Psy.D.
Co-Investigator
St. Louis Children's Hospital
Huaqing Zhao, PhD
Co-Investigator
Temple University - Philadelphia, PA
Study Staff
Kenny-Michna Alphonse
Project Research Assistant
CHU Sainte-Justine
Megan Kelton
Project Research Assistant
Seattle Children's Hospital
Giuseppe Pascale
Research Coordinator
Montreal Children's Hospital
Carly Andrews
Project Research Assistant
Seattle Children's Hospital
Moira Korus
Project Research Assistant
University of Toronto
Leslie Walther
Project Research Assistant
St Louis Children's Hospital
Adamo Ghezzo, BSc
Project Manager
Montreal Children's Hospital
Mary L. McNulty, MSc
Project Manager
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Candice Wiedman
Project research Assistant
British Columbia Children's Hospital