Today@Dal

As many of you know, in collaboration with the Fraser Mustard Institute for Human Development in Toronto we have been developing a nationwide Canadian Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) network. As the east coast representative it is my pleasure to inform you that our website (http://dohad.utoronto.ca) is now active, with our logo and manifesto, and we have formed a trans-Canada Interim Council. Please see http://dohad.utoronto.ca for structure and membership. Over 200 individuals have already shown interest in being associated with DOHaD Canada!

We are now writing to invite everyone from PIs to trainees to social scientists and educators to JOIN the DOHaD Canada network, as well as update you on the proposed structure of DOHaD Canada. Please note that membership is fee at this time, though we do encourage DOHaD Canada members to also join DOHaD International (https://dohadsoc.org)

DOHaD Canada Structure: Given the interest is affiliating with International DOHaD, and having reviewed the specific arrangements, and consulting the Interim Council, the Interim Executive (Steve Matthews, Deb Sloboda and Tim Regnault) would recommend that we initially associate as a Chapter. Groups that associate with the International DOHaD Society as Chapters have the advantage that DOHaD International will manage all subscription finances on behalf of the CHAPTER. New members subscribing to the International Society will choose to become a member of the DOHaD Canada Chapter. Half of the subscription fees collected from members that choose to align with DOHaD Canada will channel back to our group annually. This is a great way to generate funds for our new group, to enable over time, student travel awards and to facilitate keynote speakers at DOHaD Canada linked meetings. Additionally, if 60% of our membership are members of DOHaD International, our group would become! eligible for workshop support and for a seat on DOHaD International Council. Association with DOHaD International is flexible and can be adjusted as our Society evolves. We encourage members of DOHaD Canada (which currently has no annual fee) to join the DOHaD International.

Benefits to DOHaD Canada Membership:
-DOHaD Canada provides a forum to support cutting edge transdisciplinary research, collaboration and knowledge exchange with a goal of improving life-long health, learning and social function.
-DOHaD Canada provides and supports national networking opportunities for all members including PIs and Trainees, and plans on holding an annual meeting
-DOHaD Canada will disseminate news, information and funding opportunities relevant to members
-DOHaD Canada plans to provide workshop support and Trainee programs (research and travel bursaries) that will be available to members

Please forward this e-mail to colleagues who you think would be interested in DOHaD Canada and To make the DOHaD Canada more visible and accessible, it would be wonderful, if you could please create a link to the website (http://dohad.utoronto.ca) from your webpages.