Overview
Dr. Foroutan is an assistant-professor at the department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI), at McMaster University. He has led the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) Prognosis project group for the past five years and is a member of the Cochrane prognosis methods group. Dr. Foroutan is also an associate-scientist at the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research within the Computation Program. At this position he leads original research looking at outcomes of patients living with heart failure and recipients of solid organ transplant. Finally, Dr. Foroutan collaborates with several research teams in the development of original methodological studies, systematic reviews, and clinical practice guidelines. Dr. Foroutan has helped with guidelines developed my World Health Organization, AABB (formerly known as American Association of Blood Bank), and the BMJ Rapid Recommendations by the MAGIC group.
Areas of Research Interest
Dr. Foroutan is interested in methods for development of evidence synthesis in the area of prognosis, and the development of guideline recommendations for the implementation of diagnostic and prognostic model at the point of care. Dr. Foroutan is also interested in developing guidelines that implement prognosis evidence, and further developing novel statistical methods for pooling prognosis data in meta-analyses.
Training
Dr. Foroutan obtained a HBSc degree from the University of Toronto in 2015 and received a PhD (2019) degree in Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, at McMaster University. After completing a post-doctoral fellowship in Machine Learning and Artificial intelligence at the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, he joined HEI as a part-time faculty.
Distinctions
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship for work during his PhD studies (2018)
LaSorda Fellowship in Heart Failure and Heart Transplant (2017)
LaSorda Fellowship in Heart Failure and Heart Transplant (2017)
Current Research Projects
- Development of a novel methodological approach for meta-analysis of published Kaplan Meier curves
- A rapidly updating recommendation and living systematic review of the effect of COVID-19 vaccination administration and dosing on outcomes in solid organ transplant recipients
- Systematic review, network meta-analysis, and guideline development on the use of induction therapy in heart transplant recipients
- Systematic review and network meta-analysis on device therapy in the heart failure population
Educational and Mentorship Activities
- Dr. Foroutan supervises MSc and PhD students from the Health Research Methodology program at HEI. He also offers research opportunities for a select number of undergraduate students each year. He coordinates and teaches in courses related to evidence synthesis, systematic reviews, and prognosis and diagnosis methodology at HEI.
Trainee Supervision
- Dr. Foroutan is considering supervision of students for the Health Research Methodology Program at McMaster University (MSc and PhD) a case-by-case basis.