04/02/2026
Ottawa, Ontario — Wednesday February 4, 2026
What if understanding youth mental health could start with listening to the conversation between the brain and the heart? That question drives Dr. Andrew Lapointe, who recently joined the CHEO Research Institute as a digital health technology Scientist. His work blends neuroscience, physiology, engineering and data science to uncover how biological signals shape youth mental health.
Dr. Lapointe’s research develops multimodal imaging tools that map brainwaves, heart rhythms and real‑world behaviour, while at the same time using electroencephalography (EEG), functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), electrocardiography (ECG) and accelerometry. By pairing these measurements with advanced statistical modeling, he aims to identify objective, biologically grounded markers that can help clinicians personalize care for children and youth.
“I’m inspired by the potential for technology to give a ‘physiological voice’ to children and youth who may struggle to express how they’re feeling.”
— Dr. Andrew Lapointe
Dr. Lapointe is a part of the Precision Child and Youth Mental Health (PCYMH) Collaboratory at the CHEO Research Institute, and with funding support from the Brain-Heart Interconnectome (BHI) aims to transform care by combining research, data, and technology to create personalized mental health interventions.
His research is deeply aligned with the PCYMH vision to move beyond a “one‑size‑fits‑all” approach in mental health toward care rooted in each child’s biology, and ensuring research is shaped by the real‑world expertise of clinicians caring for children and families.
“I use advanced imaging and sensors, mapping brainwaves to heartbeats, to identify the unique biological signatures of how a child’s brain and heart work together,” shares Dr. Lapointe. “As a member of the PCYMH Collaboratory and the Brain–Heart Interconnectome, I am working to ensure that pediatric care is guided by clear, data-driven insights tailored to each individual.”
His work is also enabled by BHI, a ground‑breaking interdisciplinary research program aimed at accelerating prevention, detection, treatment and care of brain‑heart disorders, supported by a $109 million grant from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund.
With support from the CHEO Research Institute, PCYMH and BHI, Dr. Lapointe will help expand local capacity for advanced neuroimaging and build the infrastructure needed to study how the brain and heart interact in youth mental health.