Dr. Niall D. Ferguson

Biographical Sketch
Dr. Ferguson is Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto, a Scientist in the Toronto Western Research Institute, and Director of Critical Care at Mount Sinai Hospital and the University Health Network. He;received his M.D. with honours from the University of Toronto in 1995, and went on to complete post-graduate training in Internal Medicine, Respirology, and Critical Care Medicine. font-size:11.0pt; ">Dr. Ferguson completed a Master’s degree in Clinical Epidemiology and Health Care Research at the University of Toronto in 2002, and subsequently undertook a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Canadian Lung Association Post-doctoral Fellowship in Madrid, Spain. Dr Ferguson receives research funding from local, provincial, and national agencies, and is currently supported by a CIHR New Investigator Award. His current research interests include: (1) mechanical ventilation (epidemiology; weaning and liberation; extubation and tracheostomy); (2) acute respiratory distress syndrome (definitions; ventilatory management; trial design); and (3) high-frequency oscillatory ventilation, where he is the co-Principal Investigator of a CIHR-funded international RCT. Dr. Ferguson is the Scientific Programme Chair for Critical Care Canada Forum (www.criticalcarecanada.com), and is Critical Care Assembly Chair-Elect for the American Thoracic Society International Conference.

University Appointments
Assistant Professor of Medicine

Hospital Appointments
Staff Physician, University Health Network
Director of Clinical Research, Critical Care Medicine, University Health Network

Clinical Activities
Medical-Surgical-Neurosurgical ICU attending ~ 1 week per month (Toronto Western)
Respirology in-patient consult service attending ~ 8 weeks per year (Toronto Western)

Educational Activities
Foundations of Medical Practice PBL Tutor
Department of Medicine Noon Rounds ~ 1 per 2 months
ICU Resident Seminars 3-4 per ICU attending week
Respirology Resident Seminars 1-2 per Respirology attending week

Current Local, Provincial, National and International Activities
Local

Research Interests
Mechanical ventilation – epidemiology, weaning, extubation failure
High-frequency oscillatory ventilation
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome – treatment and definitions
Weaning and extubation decisions in brain-injured patients

The Design and Planning of a RCT of High-Frequency Oscillation vs. Conventional Mechanical Ventilation in Patients with Severe ARDS
Principal Investigator: ND Ferguson
Agency: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, RCT Mentoring Program
Funds Granted: $160,000, 2006-2008

Improving Best Practice Utilization in Critical Care
Principal Investigator: C Hayes
Co-investigators: ND Ferguson, SE Lapinsky, SF Reynolds, DC Scales
Agency: Chair of Medicine - Hospital Partners Safety/Quality Award,
University of Toronto
Funds Granted: $20,000, 2006

Patient Evaluations Ranking Methods for Inclusion in Trials (PERMIT) pilot study
Co-Principal Investigators: DC Scales, ND Ferguson
Co-investigators: JO Friedrich, OM Smith, KA Barrett, NM Lazar
Agency: Canadian Intensive Care Foundation
Funds Granted: $20,000, 2005-2006

Patient Evaluations Ranking Methods for Inclusion in Trials (PERMIT) pilot study
Co-Principal Investigators: ND Ferguson, DC Scales
Co-investigators: JO Friedrich, NM Lazar, DJ Cook
Agency: The Physicians’ Services Incorporated Foundation
Funds Granted: $76,000, 2005-2006

PROTECT: PROphylaxis of ThromboEmbolism in Critical Care Trial
Principal Investigator: DJ Cook
Co-investigators: PC Hébert, MO Meade, MA Crowther, GH Guyatt, DR Anderson, SM Bates, J Muscedere, M Albert, Y Skrobik, SP Keenan, G. Paglierello, CG Rabbat, WH Geerts, S Walter, RA Fowler, PM Dodek, ND Ferguson, JC Marshall, GM Rocker, S Mehta, DR Chittock, JT Granton, TE Warkentin, S Langevin, CM Martin, MD Sharpe, MS Dial, G Poirier, AR Moody,
D Schiff, A Frietag, SR Kahn, DJ Kutsogiannis,
JF Cade, C Doig, JA Myburgh, SR Finfer, DJ Cooper
Agency: Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Funds Granted: $4,880,347, 2005-2008

Quality-Adjusted Life Years as an Outcome in Critical Care
Principal Investigator: ND Ferguson
Co-investigators: DC Scales, MO Meade, TE Stewart, MS Herridge, JC Marshall
Agency: Ontario Thoracic Society – Block Term Grant
Funds Granted: $2,000, 2005-2006

Neurological ICU Extubation strategy Utilization and Reintubation Outcomes NEURO)observational pilot study
Principal Investigator: ND Ferguson
Co-investigators: NJ Adhikari, RA Fowler, DC Scales
Agency: University of Toronto Connaught New Staff Matching Grant
Funds Granted: $20,000, 2005-2006