Speaker Profile
Stephen G. Matthews

Stephen G. Matthews PhD

Obstetrics and Gynecology, Physiology and Biophysics, Maternal Fetal Medicine
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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Stephen Matthews is Professor of Physiology, Obstetrics, and Gynaecology, and Medicine at the University of Toronto and Director of Research at the Alliance for Human Development, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System. Dr. Matthews received his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge, UK. He was appointed to the University of Toronto in 1996 and served as Chair of Physiology (2007-2014).

Dr. Matthews’ research is focused on understanding how the fetal environment affects developmental trajectories leading to modified neurologic and endocrine function. He has established that these effects can extend across multiple generations and are linked to altered susceptibility to chronic disease. His research team is determining the mechanisms by which such ‘programming’ can occur. In parallel, his group is investigating transport mechanisms in the placenta and developing brain, with a focus on strategies to protect the fetus.

Dr. Matthews is also deeply committed to translating fundamental research. He was the founding co-director of the MAVAN program, which followed neurocognitive development in children following adverse early experiences. He is currently co-leading large pregnancy intervention studies (Healthy Life Trajectories Initiative; HeLTI) in India and Africa focused on improving maternal, infant, and child health. His research has been funded by CIHR, NSERC, and the Gates Foundation, and he has published over 220 research papers.

Dr. Matthews has served as a member and chair of CIHR Peer Review Panels and on the Editorial Boards of several Journals. He is on the Council for the Society for Reproductive Investigation and for the International Society of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD); in 2015, he co-founded DOHaD Canada. Dr. Matthews has also worked closely with the leadership of UNICEF in the translation of science to policy.
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