Advancing Healthcare Through

Critical Care Western Research

The Critical Care Western Research team tackles the full complexity of critical illness. With studies spanning sepsis, neurological outcomes, fluid resuscitation, and end-of-life decision-making, the program reflects the multi-organ challenges faced in the ICU.

We translate clinical realities into targeted investigations- developing evidence-based strategies to improve survival, recovery, and long-term outcomes. From acute interventions to ethical frameworks, our University Hospital (UH) ICU research team is shaping how critical care is understood and delivered.

Current Research

ESTABLISH

Early Severe Illness Translational Biology Informatics in Humans

The ESTABLISH study is uncovering how the body responds to critical illness in its earliest stages by analyzing biological samples from ICU patients. This research aims to improve diagnosis, personalize treatments, and guide the development of new therapies for conditions like sepsis and respiratory failure.

CONFOCAL-2

Cerebral Oxygenation and Neurological Outcomes Following Critical Illness

The CONFOCAL-2 study investigates how brain oxygen levels relate to delirium and long-term cognitive outcomes in critically ill patients. It uses non-invasive monitoring and biomarker analysis to better understand neurological dysfunction during and after ICU care.

VESPER

Venous Excess Ultrasound (VEXUS)- Guided Fluid Management vs. Usual Care in Patients with Septic Shock

The VESPER pilot randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate whether VEXUS‑guided fluid management can feasibly be implemented in patients with septic shock.

Optical Neuromonitoring

Development of an optical method for detecting cerebral ischemia during neurointensive care

This study is developing a non‑invasive, light‑based method to monitor brain blood flow in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage, aiming to detect reduced flow before lasting brain injury occurs.

NeuPART

Neurologic Physiology After Removal of Therapy

NeuPaRT is aiming to assess the timing of brain activity cessation in relation to circulatory arrest during planned withdrawal of life-sustaining measures in the ICU.

Expand-ECLS

Expanded ECLS Criteria and Strategies Domain

This pilot study evaluates the feasibility of using veno-venous ECMO to enable two innovative ventilation strategies, ultra‑protective ventilation and early awakening/extubation, compared with conventional lung‑protective ventilation in adults with moderate to severe acute hypoxemic respiratory failure.