Principal Investigators
Dr. Ryan Zarychanski, M.D. MSc
Ryan Zarychanski is a Critical Care physician, Hematologist, Clinician Scientist, and Professor at the University of Manitoba and CancerCare Manitoba, and is an active member of the CCCTG.
Dr. Zarychanski completed combined fellowships in Critical Care Medicine and Hematology, (University of Manitoba) followed by a Masters degree in Epidemiology and a research fellowship (University of Ottawa) under Drs. Dean Fergusson and Paul Hebert. Dr. Zarychanski’s research focuses on the hematologic aspects of critical illness. His major research program evaluates the efficacy and safety of unfractionated heparin in septic shock – a program that has evolved, with close collaboration from the CCCTG, into an international multicentre randomized controlled trial; the HALO International RCT. Other active programs of research include evaluating IVIG in septic shock, studying the role of Tranexamic acid to reduce transfusion in major non-cardiac surgery, and improving processes of care for patients requiring massive transfusion. He also leads research evaluating thrombocytopenia, transfusion, and anemia in critical illness. Dr. Zarychanski actively supervises graduate students and clinical investigators pursuing careers as clinician-scientists.
Anand Kumar, M.D.
Dr Anand Kumar is a Professor of Medicine (Critical Care Medicine and Infectious Diseases), Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology/Therapeutics at the University of Manitoba and an attending physician at the Health Sciences Centre and St. Boniface Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He earned his medical degree from the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the Toronto Hospital—University of Toronto. Dr Kumar subsequently completed Fellowships in Critical Care Medicine and Cardiovascular Research at Rush-Presbyterian-St Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago and Infectious Diseases at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics in Madison, Wisconsin. Dr. Kumar is trained in Internal Medicine, Critical Care Medicine and Infectious Diseases with translational research interests in sepsis and life-threatening infections. He has published over 450 original research manuscripts, reviews/chapters and abstracts.
Dean Fergusson, MHA, PhD
Dr. Fergusson is a Senior Scientist & Director, Clinical Epidemiology Program, at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. He is also a Full Professor, Departments of Medicine, Surgery, & of the School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa. Dr. Fergusson holds the position of Endowed Chair, OHRI/uOttawa, Clinical Epidemiology Program.
He holds a PhD (Honours) in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from McGill University and a Masters of Health Administration from the University of Ottawa. Dr. Fergusson’s clinical research interests are mainly in the field of transfusion medicine with a focus on transfusion alternatives and the effectiveness of blood products. His research interests also extend to the methodology and ethics of clinical trials and systematic reviews. Dr. Fergusson is a principal investigator on a number of large, peer-reviewed clinical trials in transfusion medicine including “Blood Conservation Using Antifibrinolytics: Randomized Trial in High-Risk Cardiac Surgery (BART)”, Age of Red Blood Cells in Premature Infants (ARIPI), “Age of Blood Evaluation (ABLE)”. Dr. Fergusson has contributed over 380 articles, abstracts, and book chapters to the medical literature.
Multi-Centre Coordinator | Project Lead
Nicole Marten, RN
Nicole Marten completed her diploma of nursing in 1988 at St. Boniface Hospital Diploma School of Nursing followed by the completion of the Intensive Care Certificate in 1990. She worked in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit from 1990 – 1999. In 1999 she began her career in Clinical Research. She worked as a Respiratory Research Nurse for 7 years, which included some ICU trials and then moved to Interventional Cardiology Research. In November 2007 she was the successful candidate for the Critical Care Research Nurse position which included coordinating clinical trials at both St. Boniface and Grace Hospitals. In 2011 Nicole began working with Dr. Ryan Zarychanski on the HALO pilot study that evaluated the efficacy and safety of unfractionated heparin in septic shock – a program that has now evolved, with close collaboration from the CCCTG (Canadian Critical Care Trials Group), into a multi-centre international randomized controlled trial. Nicole now acts as the project lead and multi-centre coordinator for this international clinical trial. She also has a special interest in the psychological well-being of ICU survivors and was actively involved with a local, single center pilot study testing the feasibility of a diary intervention in the ICU.