Bonita Sawatzky

Dr. Bonita Sawatzky is a principal investigator at VCHRI’s spinal cord research centre, ICORD. She is an associate professor in the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Dr. Sawatzky’s main research has focused the around mechanical and physiological energy costs of both walking and wheeling. She is currently collaborating with occupational therapy and engineering colleagues to create new adaptive exercise equipment for people to use from their wheelchairs. She is on the scientific committee for the Oceania Seating Symposium held alternately in New Zealand and Australia.

Recently, Dr. Sawatzky began working with researchers and clinicians to understand the long-term effects of Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (AMC) on life by developing an online international registry system. She is a member of a North American AMC Research Advisory Team and recently joined the global group lead from France called the International Collaboration on AMC, which is working to create an integrated clinical and self-report database on children and hopefully adults with AMC. She teaches in the Faculty of Medicine medical program, is a coach for medical students and supervises many medical students in research projects. She now has the role of the UBC Department of Orthopaedics Equity, Diversity and Inclusion lead.