Grant: Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support

Canadian researchers are recognized internationally as leaders in two separate lung diseases: 'acute respiratory distress syndrome' (ARDS) and 'pulmonary arterial hypertension' (PAH). ARDS is a deadly disease that occurs in intensive care unit patients, usually during life-threatening infections. PAH is a chronic disease that strikes young Canadians and causes death. Neither disease has curative treatments and new therapies are desperately needed. In order to develop new therapies, preclinical (laboratory) animal research is often used. Preclinical research is a complex process and only about five percent of promising findings result in treatments for patients. This represents a large waste of both research funds and animal lives. Any methods aimed at increasing the success rate of developing therapies should be explored. In human research, studies are often carried out at multiple centers at once, termed 'multicenter studies.' By doing this, we increase the efficiency of a trial and confidence in its results. However, despite numerous known benefits, multicenter research approaches have not been adopted by preclinical scientists. Here we propose a meeting to help build a network of researchers with the intent of conducting Canada's first multicenter preclinical studies. This network will consist of researchers, doctors, laboratory animal veterinarians, and other ARDS and PAH experts who will combine their efforts to create well designed, impactful multicenter preclinical studies. Importantly, non-ARDS/PAH scientists will also be invited to ensure other research areas consider using this approach. This meeting grant will support our first in-person investigator meeting with 34 participants. Multiple issues need to be discussed to ensure that Canada's first multicenter preclinical studies are successful. By the conclusion of this meeting, our network of experts will have outlined a blueprint to create a new paradigm of multicenter preclinical research in Canada.