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Members
Members
Co-Leads
Emmanuelle Duceppe, MD, PhD, FRCPC
Dr. Duceppe is Clinician Researcher at the CHUM Research Centre and Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal.
Her research interests include: Prediction of preoperative risk in non-cardiac surgery; Perioperative interventions and clinical outcomes in non-cardiac surgery; and Biomarkers for prediction and early identification of perioperative complications; She was involved in large perioperative studies in non-cardiac surgery, including the VISION Study and MANAGE Trial, POISE 2 and POISE 3 Trials.
Manoj M. Lalu, MD, PhD, FRCPC
Dr. Lalu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at University of Ottawa, and an Associate Scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute Clinical Epidemiology and Regenerative Medicine Programs. He is the lead for Trauma Anesthesia at The Ottawa Hospital.
Operation Committee
P.J. Devereaux, BSc, MD, PhD, FRCPC
Dr. P.J. Devereaux is a cardiologist, clinical epidemiologist, and perioperative care physician. He is the Director of the Division of Perioperative Care and the Associate Deputy Director of the Population Health Research Institute at McMaster University, where he is also a full professor in the Departments of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, and Medicine. He leads the Anesthesiology, Perioperative Medicine, and Surgical Research Group at the Institute. Dr. Devereaux holds the McMaster University/Hamilton Health Sciences Chair in Perioperative Care and a Tier 1 Canadian Research Chair in Perioperative Medicine. He is also the President of the Society of Perioperative Research and Care
Paul Karanicolas, MD, PhD, FRCSC, FACS
Dr. Karanicolas focuses on designing and leading randomized controlled trials in surgical oncology. He established the HPB CONCEPT Team, a nationwide framework for liver and pancreas cancer research, aiming to improve patient care through investigator-led studies and high-impact clinical trials. He also created the IMPACTS program to address uncertainties in surgical care with patient-centered pragmatic trials. Since 2018, he has served as the medical and scientific director at the Centre for Clinical Trial Support (CCTS) at Sunnybrook Research Institute, overseeing regulated clinical trials and ensuring compliance for investigator-initiated studies.
Rebecca Auer, MD, MSc, FRCSC
Dr. Rebecca Auer is interested in all aspects of cancer surgery, from diagnosis to surgery for metastatic disease. As a Surgeon-Scientist, Dr. Auer heads a research laboratory and is the principle investigator in related clinical trials. Her translational research program focuses on understanding the promotion of metastatic disease in the perioperative period, following surgical stress. In particular she is studying novel perioperative cancer therapies, including oncolytic viruses, cancer vaccines and low molecular weight heparin, which inhibit the formation of metastases postoperatively.
David Conen, MD, MPH, FRCPC
David Conen is the Principal Investigator and Senior Scientist at the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI) and an Associate Professor of Medicine at McMaster University. He is also a cardiologist at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and Hamilton Health Sciences, and the Cardiology Clinical Site Lead at Juravinski Hospital. Conen holds an MD from the University of Lausanne and a Master of Public Health from Harvard. His research focuses on perioperative medicine and atrial fibrillation, particularly through leading multinational clinical trials like COP-AF and ASPIRE-AF. He has published over 250 manuscripts, received prestigious awards, and has expertise in clinical trial design, management, and large-scale epidemiological studies.
Chelsia Gillis, MSc, PhD, RD, CNSC
Dr. Chelsia Gillis is an Assistant Professor in the School of Human Nutrition at McGill University and a Registered Dietitian with a MSc in Human Nutrition and a PhD in Epidemiology. Her research focuses on improving surgical patient outcomes through evidence-based strategies, including prehabilitation, Enhanced Recovery After Surgery, surgical metabolism, and patient engagement. She develops innovative tools for assessing malnutrition, integrating both etiologic and phenotypic factors with physical function to provide personalized care. Dr. Gillis has received research grants as Principal Investigator from organizations like the Canadian Foundation for Dietetic Research and the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism.
Megan Delisle, MD, MSc, MPH, FRCSC
Dr. Delisle completed her Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship at the University of Ottawa, General Surgery Residency at the University of Manitoba, and Medical Degree at McGill University. She earned a Master of Public Health from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a Master of Science in Surgery from the University of Manitoba, where she evaluated colorectal cancer care quality and costs. Dr. Delisle works as a Surgical Oncologist at CancerCare Manitoba and Shared Health, while also advancing her research as an Affiliate Scientist at the Paul Albrechtsen Research Institute and an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Manitoba. Her research is conducted within the Health Services Research Lab with a multidisciplinary team.
Michael Jacka, MD, MSc, MBA, FRCPC
Dr. Michael Jacka is a Physician at the University of Alberta, with prior experience at the Alberta Surgical Centre. He holds an MBA from Cornell University (2010-2012) and has a diverse background in critical care, anesthesiology, surgery, medicine, and healthcare. Originally from Wawa, Ontario, Dr. Jacka completed his undergraduate studies in physics at the University of Western Ontario, followed by medical school and anesthesiology training at Queen’s University, and critical care training at the University of Toronto. He also holds an MSc in Community Health from Toronto, where he researched anesthesiologists’ practices during cardiovascular procedures. His clinical practice focuses on critical care and anesthesiology, with research interests in the psychological concerns of critically ill patients and perioperative medicine.