GEMINI-Paediatrics

Innovating with data to improve hospital care for children and youth

Canada’s largest paediatric hospital research network

Supported by the Ontario Ministry of Health, GEMINI-Paediatrics brings together researchers, clinicians, and hospitals to continuously learn from hospital clinical data and improve care for children and youth.

It is an expansion of the GEMINI network, and includes paediatric data from 30+ hospitals (70% of Ontario’s paediatric care). The platform provides a secure way to study health data, and facilitates collaborations across hospitals, policymakers, and patient partners to advance equitable, evidence-based paediatric care.

  • >100,000Paediatric admissions annually
  • ~70%Ontario paediatric hospitalizations represented
  • 30+Hospitals participating province-wide
  • 5 out of 5Specialty children’s hospitals in Ontario included

Featured Projects

Respiratory Illness Care

Examines variations in care for common paediatric respiratory conditions such as asthma and bronchiolitis, with the goal to identify opportunities to improve outcomes and standardize evidence-based care.

Diagnostic Imaging

Explores hospital variability in diagnostic imaging such as X-rays, ultrasounds, CT, and MRIs, and factors affecting timely care to support safer, more equitable processes for patient diagnosis and treatment.

Antimicrobial Prescribing

Examines antimicrobial use in hospitalized children, with the goal to identify opportunities to improve appropriate antimicrobial prescribing and improve outcomes.

Benefits of Joining GEMINI-Paediatrics

Join a collaborative provincial network dedicated to advancing child health outcomes and gain the ability to:

If your hospital organization is interested in joining GEMINI-Paediatrics, please contact: GEMINI.Research@unityhealth.to

  • Ontario Ministry of Health
  • GEMINI Medicine
  • The Hospital for Sick Children
  • Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences
  • Unity Health Toronto
  • Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health
  • BORN Ontario
  • CHEO
  • The Paediatric Inpatient Research Network
  • Sinai Health
  • Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation
  • Trillium Health Partners
  • William Osler Health System
  • Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
  • Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences CEntre
  • Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit
  • North York General Hospital
  • North Bay Regional Health Centre
  • Mackenzie Health
  • Halton Healthcare
  • London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute
  • Ontario Child Health Support Unit
  • Kingston Health Sciences Centre
  • Hamilton Health Sciences

General Paediatrician & Scientist

Hospital for Sick Children, SickKids Research Institute

General Paediatrician & Scientist

Hospital for Sick Children SickKids Research Institute

General Paediatrician & Scientist

Hospital for Sick Children, SickKids Research Institute

Carlee Feinstein headshot

Clinical Research Project Coordinator, GEMINI Paediatrics

Clinical Research Project Manager

Research Associate, GEMINI-Paediatrics

Manager, Research Program

Research Coordinator

Data Analyst

Contact the GEMINI-Paediatrics Team: GEMINI.Research@unityhealth.to

GEMINI-Paediatrics is funded by Ontario Ministry of Health’s Research, Analysis, and Evaluation Branch.

Julia Orkin

General Paediatrician & Scientist

Dr. Julia Orkin (MD, MSc) is the Associate Chief Medical Officer at SickKids Hospital and a hospitalist paediatrician. She is the Medical Director of the Complex Care program at SickKids. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto and holds an Associate-Scientist position at the SickKids Research Institute. She is also the Paediatric Clinical Lead at Ontario Health Toronto Region and Co-Chair of the Toronto Regional Maternal Child Health Network supporting system integration and clinical partnership. Her research focuses on innovations in health care delivery for children with medical complexity and their families.

Peter Gill

General Paediatrician & Scientist

Hospital for Sick Children SickKids Research Institute

My role with GEMINI team:

I am a general paediatrician and scientist at the Hospital for Sick Children SickKids Research Institute, an Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, and a Senior Associate at the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, University of Oxford. I am Co-Lead of the GEMINI-Pediatrics program.

My educational background:

I completed a BMSc and MD from the University of Alberta, and a DPhil in Primary Health Care and MSc in Evidence-Based Health Care from the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. I completed my paediatrics residency at the Hospital for Sick Children at the University of Toronto.

My past experience and accomplishments:

I co-founded and am Vice-Chair of the Canadian Pediatric Inpatient Research Network (PIRN – https://www.pirncanada.com/), which is focused on generating research evidence to improve outcomes of hospitalized children in general pediatric settings. PIRN includes hospital sites affiliated with all 17 academic children’s hospitals across Canada and over 10 large community hospitals. In 2023, I received the Canadian Paediatric Society Young Investigator Award and the Paediatric Chairs of Canada Emerging Academic Leader Award. I am also a member of the BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine and Hospital Pediatrics Editorial Board.

I feel most inspired when:

When I work with inspirational, passionate, and dedicated people  

Sanjay Mahant

General Paediatrician & Scientist

Dr. Sanjay Mahant is a Co-Lead of GEMINI-Paediatrics. He is a Paediatric Hospitalist and Complex Care Paediatrician at SickKids, Professor and Associate Chair of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto, Senior Associate Scientist at the SickKids Research Institute, and cross-appointed in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto. He has led multi-centre trials, observational studies, and evidence syntheses on effectiveness, prognosis, patient experience, and implementation of practice in hospital care. Dr. Mahant is a Co-founder and Past Chair of the Canadian Pediatric Inpatient Research Network, Executive Council member of the US PRIS network, and Senior Deputy Editor of the Journal of Hospital Medicine. 

Carlee Feinstein headshot

Carlee Feinstein

Clinical Research Project Coordinator, GEMINI Paediatrics

Educational background

I earned my Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from the University of Toronto and hold a Bachelor of Arts in Health Science from St. Francis Xavier University.

My past accomplishments

I have contributed to paediatric health research at the Hospital for Sick Children through statistical analysis and extensive data quality work on large clinical datasets. My work has supported studies on infectious disease and children with medical complexity, with a focus on identifying key risk factors and ensuring the accuracy and integrity of complex data. Through this work, I have played a key role in generating robust, analysis-ready datasets to support high-impact research.

When I feel most inspired

I’m most inspired in environments where I’m challenged to continuously learn and grow, particularly when surrounded by people who push me outside my comfort zone. I also find inspiration in traveling, where new experiences and perspectives broaden the way I think!

A few of my favourite things

Traveling, going to concerts, and trying new foods!

Aviva Blacher

Clinical Research Project Manager

Educational background

I completed my MSc in Clinical Science and Psychopathology at Western University, and my BA&Sc in Cognitive Science at McGill University.

My past accomplishments

For my MSc thesis, I analyzed provincial health data to examine child- and family-level factors influencing sleep and psychopathology among children receiving mental health care. At the CAMH Borderline Personality Disorder clinic, I coordinated clinical trials aimed at optimizing treatment, as well as quality improvement initiatives and pilot studies evaluating existing treatment options to inform stepped-care models. I was then Program Manager at the Accelerating Clinical Trials (ACT) Canada Consortium where I supported national efforts to connect trialists and networks, standardize research processes, and build clinical trial capacity in community hospital settings. I look forward to combining my research and consortium experiences at GEMINI-Paediatrics to support evidence generation and system improvement in paediatric care across Ontario, with an emphasis on collaboration with network, government, and patient partners. 

When I feel most inspired

Doing work that I believe will make a difference and the early AM hours.

A few of my favourite things

Making stained glass, trying new foods, and my cat Maxwell.

Farhana Islam

Research Associate, GEMINI-Paediatrics

Educational background

I completed my PhD in Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Toronto. During my PhD, I was also a Junior Fellow at Massey College.

Prior to this, I completed an MSc in Neuroscience at Queen’s University and an Honours BSc with a double major in Neuroscience and Biochemistry at the University of Toronto (Trinity College).

My past accomplishments

During my doctoral studies, I published eight first-author articles contributing to our understanding of how genomic and epigenomic factors influence antidepressant and antipsychotic treatment response and side effects in individuals with major depressive disorder and schizophrenia. I was the recipient of the Early Career Investigator Award from the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics. I also secured funding for my doctoral research through various provincial- and university-level competitions, including the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (awarded three times). Outside of research, I am involved in labour and student advocacy, working to advance equitable working and learning conditions for all.

When I feel most inspired

As a night owl, in the early hours of the night.

A few of my favourite things

Concerts, reading, cats, board games, running, baking.

Chloe Chow

Manager, Research Program

Educational background

I received my Bachelor’s of Science, majoring in Life Science, and then my Masters of Science in Epidemiology from Queen’s University.

My past accomplishments

My past experiences include my Masters thesis project, which investigated the prevalence and determinants of physical activity among ovarian cancer survivors. After completing my masters thesis, I worked at SickKids Hospital for The Children’s Stroke Program, coordinating an international multi-centre study that investigated the Vascular Effects of Infection in Paediatric Stroke.

A few of my favourite things

Movie theatre popcorn (with lots of butter)

Dogs

Swimming in lakes/oceans/pools

Samuel Hamilton

Research Coordinator

Educational background

I graduated with a Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) and a Minor in German Language and Literature from the University of Ottawa.

My past accomplishments

I received the Province of Ontario Service Award in 2023 from the Minister of Multiculturalism for my philanthropic work with the Canadian Red Cross. I was also awarded the Book Prize Award by the German Ambassador to Canada in 2022. I also have publications in the Canadian Association of Radiologists Journal. Most notably, I won 1 hot dog eating contest in 2014. I was the only contestant.

When I feel most inspired

I feel most inspired when I know that I am doing work that is truly impactful and helpful to our communities. I also thrive in an environment where creativity, inclusivity, and collaboration are valued.

A few of my favourite things

I love making house music and going to electronic music festivals with my friends. I love working out, going on runs, and eating. I also have a borderline addiction to Pho.

Rebecca Lim

Data Analyst

Educational background

I completed my Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Biomedical Engineering at the University of British Columbia, followed by my Master of Science degree in Global Health Science & Epidemiology at the University of Oxford (Lincoln College).

My past accomplishments

Before joining GEMINI and SickKids, I worked at the National University of Singapore, conducting epidemiological research at the intersection of climate, environment, and health.  Fieldwork took me to remote regions of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, where I valued the opportunity to collect diverse types of data and to engage with local communities. In my engineering experience, I co-invented a patented feature to improve the safety of tourniquets (US Patent 10758247), while learning about both technical and human-centred design. I’ve also worked on other projects in a variety of areas, including medical device development, infectious disease modelling, and women’s hockey analytics!

When I feel most inspired

When I’m approaching challenges and unknowns as opportunities to learn, innovate, and collaborate with people driven by a shared and important goal, and anything involving a spreadsheet.

A few of my favourite things

Playing and watching hockey, making and eating sweet treats, reading and connecting over books.