Fiona Moola

Dr. Fiona J. Moola is a Scientist at the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and an Assistant Professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. Dr. Moola was born in Toronto and is the daughter of anti-apartheid freedom fighters from South Africa. Dr. Moola completed High Honours Undergraduate, Masters, and Doctoral Degrees at the University of Toronto. After completing her Doctoral Degree in 2011, Dr. Moola embarked on a one year Post Doctoral Fellowship at Concordia University in Montreal. In 2012, Dr. Moola began a five-year term as an Assistant Professor (tenure-track) at the University of Manitoba. Here, she was also a Scientist at the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba. During her time in Winnipeg, Dr. Moola continued to develop a robust research program on the psychological and social dimensions of childhood chronic illnesses, grounded in health psychology and sociological studies. As a Scientist at Holland-Bloorview, Dr. Moola’s research program is driven by the notion that the arts may enhance the quality of life and psychosocial health of children living with chronic illnesses and disabilities. Through her research program, Dr. Moola will investigate the therapeutic potential of the arts for children with disabilities and chronic illnesses and their caregivers. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, VERTEX, Research Manitoba, the Canadian Institute for Health Research, The University of Manitoba, the Health Sciences Foundation, as well as the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba fund Dr. Moola’s research. Dr. Moola is the first author of over 25 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, has graduated two masters’ students, and serves on several graduate thesis committees. She has also established a robust program of teaching at the Undergraduate and Graduate level. Dr. Moola is also a psychotherapy student at the Gestalt Institute of Toronto.