Congratulations to IMH Marshall Fellow Dr. Laura Labonté who has received a 2024 Research Trainee Award from Michael Smith Health Research BC! The awards support talented postdoctoral or health professional researchers to build their careers in British Columbia.
Dr. Labonté is a recent graduate of the UBC Department of Psychiatry Research Track and Fraser residency programs. She is currently working as a Psychiatrist with the Surrey Intensive Case Management Team and the Surrey Delta Assertive Community Treatment Team in Fraser Health. She is completing her UBC Institute of Mental Health (IMH) 2024/2025 Marshall Fellow with the project “Risk factors for cognitive impairment and substance-induced psychosis in people living in precarious housing or homelessness” with Dr. William Honer.
Dr. Labonté previously completed her PhD in Experimental Medicine and medical studies, both at McGill University, in Montreal, QC. She has been involved in research throughout her residency training and is currently excited to transition to becoming an independent clinician scientist working in Psychiatry.
Her current research interests are on better understanding the impact of brain insults such as traumatic brain injuries, HIV & hepatitis C infection and substance use on psychosis and cognition. She is very passionate about working with marginalized and unhoused individuals, and in particular factors that may improve care offered to them, and prevent chronic disability.