Lori Brotto

Dr. Lori Brotto completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of British Columbia (UBC), where her research focused primarily on psychophysiological aspects of sexual arousal in women diagnosed with sexual dysfunction. She then complated a psychology residency and postdoctoral fellowship in Reproductive and Sexual Medicine from the University of Washington, School of Medicine.

Dr. Brotto holds a  Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in Women’s Sexual Health (2016-2021), and her research program focuses on quality of life, biopsychosocial correlates of health, intimacy, and sexuality, primarily in women. She has led a series of efficacy studies evaluating face to face as well as online interventions to address and improve sexual health in gynaecologic cancer survivors. Her interests also span quality of life and survivorship themes within gynaecologic cancer where she is collaborating with Dr. Marette Lee (gynaecologic oncologist) examining quality of life and experiences among women attending BC’s provincial colposcopy program; and also Dr. Kasmintan Schrader, collaborating on a study of women’s experiences as they undergo genetic testing for gynaecologic cancer in an oncology setting.

Dr. Brotto was recently appointed as Executive Director of the Women’s Health Research Institute, one of only two of its kind in Canada. In this secondment role, Dr. Brotto provides leadership and guides strategic priorities for the institute, which has over 150 members in BC.

Dr. Brotto has 120 peer-reviewed publications and has acquired $11M in funding, including a recent Canada Foundation for Innovation grant for the renovation and expansion of the UBC Women’s Sexual and Vulvo-Vaginal Health Research Facility. Dr. Brotto holds numerous leadership roles within her field of sexual health, and her research has directly informed the development of international guidelines for the assessment and treatment of sexual functioning (e.g., she was a member of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders committee; 3 time member of the International Consultation on Sexual Medicine guidelines committee). Passionate about Knowledge Translation, Dr. Brotto engages readily with the media, and is a health advisor for the Globe and Mail, where she writes a monthly column concerning sexual health and well-being. ​

As a registered psychologist, Dr. Brotto offers psychological therapy in her private clinic in Port Moody, BC.