The new support from the six research institutes, including Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI), Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute (CHEO-RI), University of Ottawa Heart Institute (uOHI), Bruyère Health Research Institute, l'Institut du Savoir Montfort (ISM), and The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR), is an important addition to the program permitting the funding of a significant number of new chairs in this round. A total of 64 Clinical Research Chairs have been awarded through a five-year, $41 million joint funding initiative, increasing our impact on the health of individuals and populations by supporting cutting-edge research projects.
These prestigious chairs recognize and support some of the Faculty’s most accomplished and promising clinician-scientists and include all the clinical departments and research institutes. Their research spans a broad spectrum of disciplines and clinical specializations, from cardiovascular innovation to health equity and medical AI. The Chairs are awarded across three categories—Tier 1, Tier 2, and Junior—reflecting excellence at all stages of a clinician-scientist’s academic career. Indeed, submissions spanned the research spectrum including clinical, translational, QI, education, and humanities research, underscoring the depth and strength of its clinical research community and the growing demand for sustained research support.
Launched in 2010, the Clinical Research Chairs Program was designed to promote high-impact research that translates directly to improved patient outcomes. The program structure mirrors the Canada Research Chairs model, with Tier 1 and Tier 2 awards valued at $200,000 and $100,000 annually, and Junior Chairs receiving $80,000 per year over five years.
This year’s competition, launched in February 2025, adhered to a transparent and rigorous peer-review process for all 86 applicants. Research institute CEOs, department chairs, and departmental research vice chairs were engaged throughout the process to represent the diverse perspectives of our clinician scientists in the application review, ranking, and awarding. In alignment with the Faculty’s ongoing commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Social Justice (IDEAS), the 2025 awardees addressed these principles within their applications and completed modules or workshops to aid in the development of thoughtful proposals reflecting their commitments to IDEAS principles in research design, teams, and engagement.
Overview:
- 63% of applicants self-identified as members of underrepresented groups*
- 63% of awardees are from underrepresented groups
- 9 chairs are aligned with IDEAS or Francophone research priorities
- Each of the 12 clinical departments was awarded a Junior Chair
- 32 Tier 2 Chairs were awarded
- 20 Tier 1 Chairs were awarded
* The uOttawa CountMeIn Survey was used to gather demographic information, with underrepresented groups referring to individuals from Indigenous, racialized, or underrepresented gender identity groups, persons with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community.
Tier 1 Clinical Research Chairs
| Name | Department | Title | Funders |
Dr. Aurélien Delluc | Department of Medicine | Chair in Innovative Strategies in Venous Thromboembolism | Supported by the Department of Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Benjamin Chow | Department of Medicine | Chair in Advanced Cardiac Imaging | Supported by the Department of Medicine, uOHI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Christian Vaillancourt | Department of Emergency Medicine | Chair in Sudden Cardiac Arrest Resuscitation | Supported by the Department of Emergency Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Claire Kendall* | Department of Family Medicine | Chair in Strengthening Primary Care for Integrated Health Equity | Supported by the Department of Family Medicine, BHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Daniel McIsaac | Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine | Chair in Innovative Perioperative Care | Supported by the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Dariush Dowlatshahi | Department of Medicine | Chair in Patient Oriented Cerebrovascular Disease Research | Supported by the Department of Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Darryl Davis | Department of Medicine | Chair in Translational Cardiovascular Medicine | Supported by the Department of Medicine, uOHI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Douglas Manuel | Department of Family Medicine | Chair in Precision Medicine for Disease Prevention | Supported by the Department of Family Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Gonzalo Alvarez | Department of Medicine | Chair in Working with Inuit towards TB elimination | Supported by the Department of Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Guy Trudel | Department of Medicine | Chair in Space and Rehabilitation Medicine | Supported by the Department of Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. James Downar | Department of Medicine | Chair in Palliative and End-of-Life Care | Supported by the Department of Medicine, BHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Jeff Perry* | Department of Emergency Medicine | Chair in Emergency Neurological Research | Supported by the Department of Emergency Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Jess Fiedorowicz | Department of Psychiatry | Chair in Bipolar Disorders and Metabolism | Supported by the Department of Psychiatry, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Jonathan Angel | Department of Medicine | Chair in HIV Cure Research | Supported by the Department of Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Leanne Ward | Department of Pediatrics | Chair in Pediatric Genetic and Metabolic Bone Disorders | Supported by the Department of Pediatrics, CHEO-RI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Luc Mertens | Department of Pediatrics | Chair in Pediatric Cardiovascular Science | Supported by the Department of Pediatrics, CHEO-RI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Peter Liu | Department of Medicine | Chair in Brain-Heart Interconnected Advances | Supported by the Department of Medicine, uOHI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Roger Zemek | Department of Pediatrics | Chair in Pediatric Concussion | Supported by the Department of Pediatrics, CHEO-RI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Smita Pakhale | Department of Medicine | Chair in Equity & Patient Engagement in Vulnerable Populations | Supported by the Department of Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Venkatesh Thiruganasam-bandamoorthy | Department of Emergency Medicine | Chair in Cardiovascular Emergencies | Supported by the Department of Emergency Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
*Conditionally awarded
Tier 2 Clinical Research Chairs
| Name | Department | Title | Funders |
Dr. Albert Wu | Department of Ophthalmology | Chair in Translational Stem Cell Research in Ophthalmology | Supported by the Department of Ophthalmology, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Andrew Hall | Department of Emergency Medicine | Chair in Competency-Based Medical Education | Supported by the Department of Emergency Medicine, CiMED, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Arun Radhakrishnan | Department of Family Medicine | Chair in Primary Care AI, Innovation and Implementation | Supported by the Department of Family Medicine, BHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Darine El-Chaâr | Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology | Chair in Perinatal Epidemiology and Immunity | Supported by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Derek MacFadden | Department of Medicine | Chair in Antibiotic Use and Resistance | Supported by the Department of Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Hana Alazem | Department of Pediatrics | Chair in Pediatric Rehabilitation | Supported by the Department of Pediatrics, CHEO-RI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Hesham Abdelbary | Department of Surgery | Chair in Prosthetic Joint and Bone Infections | Supported by the Department of Surgery, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Ian Paterson | Department of Medicine | Chair in Cardio-Oncology | Supported by the Department of Medicine, uOHI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Jenna Gale | Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology | Chair in Fertility | Supported by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Jodi Warman-Chardon | Department of Medicine | Chair in Biomarker Discovery and Socioeconomic Outcomes in Neuromuscular Disease | Supported by the Department of Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Juthaporn Cowan | Department of Medicine | Chair in Immunization in Patients with Compromised Immunity | Supported by the Department of Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Kamila Premji | Department of Family Medicine | Chair in Universal Access to Comprehensive Primary Care | Supported by the Department of Family Medicine, ISM, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Kimmo Murto | Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine | Chair in Child Health Innovative Research: Periop & Patient Blood Care | Supported by the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, CHEO-RI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Krishan Yadav | Department of Emergency Medicine | Chair in Skin and Soft Tissue Infections | Supported by the Department of Emergency Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Kristin Kernohan | Department of Pediatrics | Chair in Genomics and Newborn Screening | Supported by the Department of Pediatrics, CHEO-RI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Lana Castellucci | Department of Medicine | Chair in Thrombosis and Anticoagulation Safety | Supported by the Department of Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Lisa Caulley | Department of Otolaryngology | Chair in Clinical Decision Analysis Research | Supported by the Department of Otolaryngology, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Luke Lavallée | Department of Surgery | Chair in Urologic Oncology | Supported by the Department of Surgery, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Manoj Lalu | Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine | Chair in Innovative Translational Research | Supported by the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Marco Solmi | Department of Psychiatry | Chair in Evidence-Based Mental Health | Supported by the Department of Psychiatry, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Mark Norris | Department of Pediatrics | Chair in Eating Disorders | Supported by the Department of Pediatrics, CHEO-RI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Munir Boodhwani | Department of Surgery | Chair in Thoracic Aortic Disease | Supported by the Department of Surgery, uOHI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Naista Zhand | Department of Psychiatry | Chair in Schizophrenia | Supported by the Department of Psychiatry, IMHR, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Natasha Kekre | Department of Medicine | Chair in Canadian-Made Cellular Immunotherapies | Supported by the Department of Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Sanjay Murthy | Department of Medicine | Chair in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases | Supported by the Department of Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Michel Shamy | Department of Medicine | Chair in Clinical Research Ethics | Supported by the Department of Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Sharon Johnston | Department of Family Medicine | Chair in Primary Care Learning Health Systems: PREMs, AI, and Data Integration | Supported by the Department of Family Medicine, ISM, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Sonny Dhanani | Department of Pediatrics | Chair in the Science of Organ Donation | Supported by the Department of Pediatrics, CHEO-RI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Susan Humphrey-Murto | Department of Medicine | Chair in Medical Education Research | Supported by the Department of Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Tetyana Kendzerska | Department of Medicine | Chair in Population Health Program in Sleep Medicine in Ontario | Supported by the Department of Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Tiago Mestre | Department of Medicine | Chair in Parkinson's Disease | Supported by the Department of Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Tzu-Fei Wang | Department of Medicine | Chair in Cancer and Thromboembolism | Supported by the Department of Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Junior Clinical Research Chairs
| Name | Department | Title | Funders |
Dr. Aisling Clancy | Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology | Chair in Pelvic Floor Disorders | Supported by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Alexandre Tran | Department of Surgery | Chair in Trauma and Critical Care Research | Supported by the Department of Surgery, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Andrea Evans | Department of Pediatrics | Chair in Data-Driven Child Health and Policy | Supported by the Department of Pediatrics, CHEO-RI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Eduardo Portela de Oliveira | Department of Radiology | Chair in Stroke Imaging | Supported by the Department of Radiology, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Gayatri Saraf | Department of Psychiatry | Chair in Mechanisms and Novel Therapeutics in Bipolar Disorders | Supported by the Department of Psychiatry, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Jamal Alkadri | Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine | Chair in Perioperative Cardiac Surgical Outcomes | Supported by the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, uOHI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Kevin Boczar | Department of Medicine | Chair in Cardiac Inflammation | Supported by the Department of Medicine, uOHI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Kheira Jolin-Dahel | Department of Family Medicine | Chair in Digital Implementation and Innovation in Family Medicine | Supported by the Department of Family Medicine, ISM, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Kianoosh Keyhanian | Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine | Chair in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine | Supported by the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Mona Koaik | Department of Ophthalmology | Chair in Ophthalmology | Supported by the Department of Ophthalmology, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Nathan Yang | Department of Otolaryngology | Chair in Psychometric Properties of Clinical Assessment Tools in Rhinology | Supported by the Department of Otolaryngology, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |
Dr. Shawn Chhabra | Department of Emergency Medicine | Chair in Emergency Medicine Health Economics | Supported by the Department of Emergency Medicine, OHRI, OVPRI, and the Faculty of Medicine |