Magdalena Janus

Magdalena Janus is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University, affiliated with the Faculty of Health Sciences. She is a leading expert in early childhood development, focusing on school readiness, developmental vulnerability, and the social determinants of child health. Her work emphasizes the use of population-level data tools like the Early Development Instrument (EDI) to monitor child development and inform policy.

• Research interests include: child mental health, immigrant/refugee child health, neighborhood socioeconomic effects, and pandemic impacts on development.
• Teaches HTHSCI 4SC3: 'Social Determinants of Child Health' at McMaster.

Her research highlights disparities in developmental outcomes linked to socioeconomic status, immigration background, and health conditions. Key contributions include the Canadian Neighbourhoods Early Child Development (CanNECD) database and studies on asthma, anemia, and dental needs in kindergarten children.

Recent work addresses pandemic effects on child development, with studies on educator perceptions, learning models, and food insecurity. She collaborates widely, including with the Offord Centre for Child Studies and international teams in Brazil, Malawi, and Pakistan.