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3D Printing/Surgical Simulation
For the last decade, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has been utilizing 3D printed heart models to assist doctors in the management of patients with complex congenital heart disease. This work was pioneered and driven by Dr Shi-Joon Yoo with the support of the surgeons, physicians and engineers within SickKids. Doctors now have a new tool in their armory to diagnose and plan treatment strategies for these patients, some with the rarest and most complex heart defects.
Investigators
- David Barron
- John Coles
- Christoph Haller
- Osami Honjo
- Christopher Tarola
- Bobby Yanagawa
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Aortic Diseases
Lore Ipsum
Investigators
- Jennifer Chung
- Tirone David
- Malak Elbatarny
- Christopher Feindel
- Maral Ouzounian
- Mark Peterson
- Rodolfo Rocha
- Christopher Tarola
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Artificial Intelligence
INVESTIGATORS
- Malak Elbatarny
- Rashmi Nedadur
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Bioinformatics & Genetic Engineering
Bioinformatic research in University of Toronto incorporates state of the art techniques such as Whole Genome Sequencing, Single Cell RNA Sequencing, and deep Proteomics including post-translational protein modifications. These have been applied to promote understanding of pathophysiology and prognosis in congenital heart disease, heart failure, and thoracic aortic aneurysm/dissection.
Biomarker validation work incorporates both in vitro and in vivo model systems, including "organ on chip" platforms. Advanced molecular cloning and genetic engineering approaches are taken to elucidate mechanistic pathways, characterize downstream phenotypic effects, and design disease therapies for precision medicine.
Investigators
- Maral Ouzounian
- Rachel Vanderlaan
- Richard Weisel
- Malak Elbatarny
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Cardiac Tumours
University of Toronto has long been a focal point for clinical management and research in cardiac tumours. In 2016 the first Toronto Cardiac Tumour Conference was held, which brings the world's experts in the field of cardiac tumours on a yearly basis. More recently, the INTERACT project (INTernational Registry to Assess Cardiac Tumours), a multi-national, multidisciplinary endeavor to capture all cardiac tumours globally, brings together centres around the world to try to improve care and outcome in these very rare tumours.
INVESTIGATORS
- RJ Cusimano
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Clinical Trials
University of Toronto researchers have leading roles in several multinational clinical trials in cardiac surgery. These clinical trials involve topics related to myocardial revascularization, aortic surgery, valve surgery, heart failure, and cardiovascular prevention. Current myocardial revascularization trials include STICH3C, ROMA, ROMA-W, NEWTON-CABG, CLEAR SYNERGY (OASIS-9), and ODIN. Current aortic surgery trials include HEADSTART and TITAN, while current valve surgery trials include the CTSNet trial series (mitral and tricuspid valve) and CAMRA. Current heart failure trials include EMPA-HEART and EMPA-HEART2, while current cardiovascular prevention trials include SELECT and VESALIUS.
INVESTIGATORS
- Stephen Fremes
- Steve Singh
- Subodh Verma
- Terrence Yau
- Maral Ouzounian
- Mark Peterson
- Kevin An
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Congenital Heart Disease
INVESTIGATORS
- David Barron
- John Coles
- Mimi Deng
- Malak Elbatarny
- Christoph Haller
- Osami Honjo
- Amine Mazine
- Rodolfo Rocha
- Rachel Vanderlaan
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Coronary Revascularization
INVESTIGATORS
- Piroze Davierwala
- Stephen Fremes
- Fuad Moussa
- Vivek Rao
- Rodolfo Rocha
- Derrick Tam
- Subodh Verma
- Bobby Yanagawa
- Kevin An
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Ex-Vivo Heart Perfusion & Organ Preservation
The University of Toronto ex-vivo heart perfusion (EVHP) program is working to extend the transplant donor pool through the development of strategies for ex-situ assessment and rehabilitation of extended criteria donor hearts. Current projects involve EVHP management of myocardial edema, nutritional supplementation of perfusate, and understanding the impact of ischemic time on cardiac metabolism. EVHP has also been innovated for the pediatric population by identifying medical therapies that can be given on EVHP to facilitate heart recovery and exploring the effect of conservative blood transfusion strategies.INVESTIGATORS
- Mitesh Badiwala
- Mimi Deng
- Osami Honjo
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Heart Failure/Transplant
INVESTIGATORS
- Mitesh Badiwala
- David Barron
- Osami Honjo
- Vivek Rao
- Steve Singh
- Juglans Souto-Alvarez
- Subodh Verma
- Terrence Yau
- Rachel Vanderlaan
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Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
INVESTIGATORS
- Gianluigi Bisleria
- Piroze Davierwala
- Christoph Haller
- Fuad Moussa
- Dinela Rushani
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Stem Cell Biology/Tissue Engineering
INVESTIGATORS
- John Coles
- Christoph Haller
- Ren-Ke Li
- Amine Mazine
- Terrence Yau
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Surgical Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation
The University of Toronto offers a robust surgical ablation program with clinical expertise in a range of surgical options for the treatment of atrial fibrillation including minimally invasive surgical ablation, and open surgical ablation. Current clinical research projects are aimed at defining the epidemiology of pre-operative atrial fibrillation in Canada, and evaluating the outcomes of patients with atrial fibrillation who undergo surgical ablation, and hybrid minimally invasive surgical ablation approaches.
INVESTIGATORS
- Gianluigi Bisleri
- Gideon Cohen
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Transcatheter Technologies
INVESTIGATORS
- Gianluigi Bisleri
- Gideon Cohen
- Stephen Fremes
- Maral Ouzounian
- Mark Peterson
- Rodolfo Rocha
- Derrick Tam
- Christopher Tarola
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Valvular Heart Disease
INVESTIGATORS
- David Barron
- Gianluigi Bisleri
- Christopher Bonneau
- George Christakis
- Gideon Cohen
- Tirone David
- Piroze Davierwala
- Christopher Feindel
- David Latter
- Amine Mazine
- Maral Ouzounian
- Mark Peterson
- Vivek Rao
- Rodolfo Rocha
- Derrick Tam
- Christopher Tarola
- Subodh Verma
- Bobby Yanagawa