Scientist, Clinical Epidemiology Program
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Full Professor, Department of Medicine
University of Ottawa

Hemodialysis
Cardiovascular Disease
Home Dialysis
Exercise
Quality of Life

I joined the Division of Nephrology in 1999 after completing medical school and Internal Medicine Residency in Calgary; Nephrology Fellowship and MSc in Clinical Epidemiology in Toronto. I was promoted to Full Professor in 2020 and Scientist in 2023. My clinical time is spent on the wards at the General and Civic campuses, Hemodialysis and Home Dialysis at the Riverside Campus and a general nephrology clinic at the Riverside Campus. My research has focused primarily on the care of patients treated with dialysis including in-centre hemodialysis, home hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. I am interested in exploring ways to enhance quality of life and reduce frailty for this population using different methodologies including but not limited to clinical trials. 

1.      Lok C, Allon M, Moist L, Oliver M, Zimmerman D. Reduce FTM 1 (Risk Equation Determining Unsuccessful Cannulation Events and Failure to Maturation in Arteriovenous Fistulas).  J Am Soc Nephrol. 2006 Nov;17(11):3204-12.  PMID:  16988062 
2.      Zimmerman D, Sood MM, Rigatto C, Holden RM, Hiremath S, Clase CM.  Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Incidence, Prevalence and Outcomes of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients on Dialysis.  Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2012 Oct;27(10):3816-22. doi: 10.1093/ndt/gfs416.  
3.      Nesrallah GE, Mustafa R, MacRae J, Pauly R, Perkins D.N., Gangji Z, Rioux JP, Steele A, Suri R, Chan C, Copland M, Komenda P, McFarlane P, Pierratos A, Lindsay R, Zimmerman D. Canadian Society of Nephrology Guidelines for the Management of Patients with ESRD Treated with Intensive Hemodialysis.  Am J Kidney Dis. 2013 Jul;62(1):187-98. doi: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2013.02.351.  PMID:  23566638.
4.     Moorman D, Suri R, Hiremath S, Jegatheswaran J, Kumar T, Bugeja A, Zimmerman D. Benefits and Barriers to and Desired Outcomes with Exercise in Patients with End Stage Kidney Disease CJASN. Feb 2019, 14;(2); 268-276. Doi:10.2215/CJN.09700818. PMID: 30696660
5.    Deacon E, Canney M, McCormick, Brown P, Biyani M, D. Zimmerman.  Predictors of Serum Vancomycin Levels in Peritoneal Dialysis-Associated Peritonitis.  Peritoneal Dialysis.  International  Nov 9, 2022.  https://doi.org/10.1177/08968608221134980. 

Frailty; Kidney disease

Clinical research; Clinical trials; Cohort studies; Epidemiology; Quality Improvement; Systematic reviews