Lauren Beaupre will start her
appointment on July 1.
From being a student of Dr. David Magee to being named the next Dr. David Magee Endowed Chair in Musculoskeletal Research, Lauren Beaupre is excited to start her new appointment on July 1.
Beaupre is currently a University of Alberta professor in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine's Department of Physical Therapy and an adjunct assistant professor in the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. She says the two current positions help bring together her passion in bone and joint health.
"Physical therapy and orthopedics must work together to provide the best care for musculoskeletal patients," Beaupre says. "For example, 50 per cent of patients who see an orthopedic surgeon don't need surgery yet, so what happens to them? Physical therapy plays an important role for pre-surgery, post-surgery and non-surgery patients."
Beaupre's research focuses on functional recovery, health-related quality of life and health services utilization in musculoskeletal patient populations, with an emphasis around preoperative, perioperative and postoperative care. In particular, her work has focused on the older hip fracture patient population as well as total joint arthroplasty. She is also supporting upper extremity and foot and ankle clinical research groups.
In her role as chair holder, Beaupre wants to expand Collaborative Orthopaedic Research (CORe), a research group at the University of Alberta focused on improving the recovery of patients with bone, joint and muscle conditions and injuries.
"We currently have a team of surgeons, rehabilitation professionals, physicians and researchers who work collaboratively to transfer new research findings into clinical practice and address important knowledge gaps in bone and joint health research," says Beaupre. "Though we are located at the Clinical Sciences Building, our labs are everywhere including the Edmonton Hip and Knee Clinic and various hospitals. We send our researchers out to where the patients are - and those places are considered our 'labs'."
Beaupre's vision is not only local. She also has an interest in Knowledge Translation and undertakes Implementation Science research to move research findings into clinical practice, working closely with the Bone and Joint Health and Senior's Health Strategic Clinical Networks within AHS. In her role as National Director for Hip Fracture at Bone and Joint Canada, she connects clinicians, researchers and policy or decision-makers across Canada to implement best practices in the care of patients with hip fractures. Internationally, Beaupre co-chairs an international special interest group on hip fracture recovery research that is part of the Fragility Fracture Network, collaborating with researchers in the USA, UK, Australia and Europe.
"Congratulations to Lauren Beaupre! We are proud to have her as the Dr. David Magee Endowed Chair in Musculoskeletal Research and we look forward to her leadership and its impact, not only on research but patient care and outcomes in Alberta and beyond," says Bob Haennel, interim dean, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine.
Named after one of the world's foremost physical therapists, the Dr. David Magee Endowed Chair in Musculoskeletal Research was in created in 2010 after a $1.5-million donation from Cathy and Harold Roozen. Cathy Roozen chose to name the first endowed research chair at the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine after her own physiotherapist, who happens to also be a member of the Order of Canada, author of the world-renowned Orthopedic Physical Assessment and one of the longest-serving faculty members in rehabilitation medicine. Not to mention Magee worked with elite athletes across the country, including the national synchronized swimming team and the Edmonton Oilers.
"I had David Magee as an instructor, and I appreciate what the name represents. It's very meaningful," says Beaupre.