Overview
Dr. Maureen Meade is a critical care physician at Hamilton Health Sciences and Professor of Medicine at McMaster University. In a 20 year research program dedicated to lung protective ventilation in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome she spearheaded 4 randomized trials that led to publications in the New England Journal, Lancet, JAMA and the BMJ and that changed patient management worldwide. In 2015, Dr. Meade launched Canada-DONATE, a program of research focused on deceased organ donation, and with co-founder Dr. Frederick D’Aragon has established the Canadian infrastructure for clinical trials in donation.
Areas of Research Interest
Dr. Meade’s research is focussed on improving the management of deceased organ donors in the intensive care unit. She remains active in clinical trials in the management of critically ill patients with aute respiratory distress syndrome.
Training
Dr. Meade obtained her medical degree at McGill University (1990). She completed residency training in Internal Medicine (1994) and Critical Care Medicine (1996) at the University of Toronto, where she also completed a Clinical Scholarshipin Critical Care (1998). Dr. Meade completed a Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology at McMaster University (1996).
Distinctions
The Peter Lougheed Award of the Medical Research Council of Canada (2000);
The Canadian Critical Care Society/Canadian Institutes of Health Research Distinguished Lecturer Award for the advancement of critical care sciences at a national level (2020);
Inaugural recipient of a national research mentorship award;
The Canadian Critical Care Trials Group Award for Research Mentorship, named in honour of her own research mentor, Dr. Deborah J. Cook.
The Canadian Critical Care Society/Canadian Institutes of Health Research Distinguished Lecturer Award for the advancement of critical care sciences at a national level (2020);
Inaugural recipient of a national research mentorship award;
The Canadian Critical Care Trials Group Award for Research Mentorship, named in honour of her own research mentor, Dr. Deborah J. Cook.
Current Research Projects
- CINERGY – a randomized trial of organ donor preconditioning with calcineurin inhibitors to prevent subsequent ischemia reperfusion injury among transplant recipients.
- NEUPART – a multicentre observational study of the evolution of brain function and brain perfusion after the withdrawal of life support, to elucidate the temporal relationship between circulatory arrest and brain arrest.
Educational and Mentorship Activities
- Dr. Meade has mentored over 40 critical care researchers, primarily as graduate students and junior faculty. Many hold peer-reviewed career awards and many are leading CIHR-funded multicentre studies as PIs. For 22 years she has been the founding co-director (with Dr. Deborah Cook) of ACCADEMY, a group of critical care researchers who have trained under the supervision of the two directors and continue to meet virtually on a monthly basis to discuss scholarly topis including research methodology, shared research projects, and professional development.
Trainee Supervision
- Dr. Meade is considering supervision of PhD and Masters students for the Health Research Methdology Program at McMaster University, particularly those with a research focus on organ donation and transplantation.