Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Regenerative medicine

The Ottawa Hospital is conducting cutting-edge research on stem cells and regenerative medicine. This page includes selected news stories about our regenerative medicine research and links to researchers working in this area. Please also visit our Regenerative Medicine Program webpage.

Research News

	New scientist profile: Dr. Ehsan Habibi sketches life with hyper-realistic precision May 16, 2025 - As an artist, Dr. Ehsan Habibi paints lush forests, bubbling streams and shiny pebbles that are so realistic they could be mistaken for photographs. It’s called “hyper-realism” and it’s a philosophy that he applies to science just as much as to art.
	‘Stroke in a dish’ reveals new recipe for brain repair October 18, 2024 - Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa have found a new way to create neurons – a discovery that could be a major step forward in developing treatments for stroke and traumatic brain injury.
	Clinical trial to test muscular dystrophy therapy developed at The Ottawa Hospital September 10, 2024 - Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital, the University of Ottawa and Satellos Bioscience have developed an innovative regenerative therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) that is now being tested in people as part of a world-first clinical trial.
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	The Ottawa Hospital’s new campus to become a hub for biotherapeutics research and manufacturing thanks to $59M grant May 6, 2024 - The Ottawa Hospital is receiving $59 million to boost Canada’s capacity to develop and manufacture life-saving biotherapeutics, including vaccines, gene therapies and cell therapies.
	Tiny trailblazer: First baby treated in world-first trial for chronic lung disease January 19, 2024 - Emmy Cogan was the first baby treated in a world-first clinical trial of a cell therapy for bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
	New scientist profile: Dr. Blair Gage uses stem cell biology to build blood vessels and develop new treatments January 2, 2024 - As a self-proclaimed “cell therapist,” Dr. Blair Gage aims to understand what makes stem cells tick and then gently coax them to realize their full potential.
	Clinical trial will test promising cell therapy for septic shock January 19, 2023 - Dr. Lauralyn McIntyre was awarded $1.6 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Clinical Trials Fund to conduct a Phase II clinical trial of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in patients with septic shock.
	Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital awarded 19 CIHR grants worth more than $12 million July 20, 2022 - These projects will advance science and improve health in areas such as cancer, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, autism, Kabuki Syndrome, kidney disease, patient engagement, blood transfusions, sepsis, surgery, anesthesia, plasma donation, muscle
	Ottawa Hospital researchers awarded $1.85M from Stem Cell Network May 12, 2022 - Four research teams at The Ottawa Hospital have been awarded a total of $1.85 million to harness stem cells and regenerative medicine to develop new therapies for septic shock, bone and joint conditions, and newborn lung damage, while also advancing
	Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital awarded 18 CIHR grants worth more than $11 million February 5, 2022 - These projects will advance science and improve health in areas such as tuberculosis, blood disease, prostate cancer, heart disease, muscle repair, sleep apnea, brain cancer, medical imaging, virtual care, prehab, intellectual disability, sarcoma, CA
	Supercharging stem cells November 12, 2021 - Dr. Jeff Dilworth is receiving The Ottawa Hospital’s Chrétien Researcher of the Year Award for his groundbreaking research, which could bring new energy to exhausted stem cells and help them repair the body
	Stem cells go ‘all in’ to repair damaged muscles May 12, 2021 - When faced with a major muscle injury, muscle stem cells need to find the right balance between repair and self-preservation. New research led by Dr. Jeff Dilworth shows for the first time that upon injury, muscle stem cells prioritize immediate repa
	Experts on call: Stem cells, gene therapy and biotherapeutics April 22, 2021 - Could biotherapeutics be the key to the next wave of medical breakthroughs? Join this lively discussion to learn how researchers at The Ottawa Hospital are using biological materials like cells, genes and viruses to heal the body and fight disease.
	Harnessing stem cells and regenerative medicine to fight COVID-19 April 23, 2020 - Researchers from The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa have been awarded $490,000 from the Stem Cell Network for two research projects that could help in the fight against COVID-19. These peer-reviewed grants are part of an overall investm
	$950,000 to help develop stem cell treatments for septic shock, lung injury and muscle degeneration May 17, 2019 - Researchers from The Ottawa Hospital, CHEO and the University of Ottawa are bringing discoveries made in the lab closer to human trials and therapies, thanks to four new peer-reviewed research grants from the Ontario Institute for Regenerative Medici
	Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recommended as a standard of care for certain kinds of MS in the U.S. March 13, 2019 - The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation has recommended that stem cell transplantation for MS, which has been pioneered at The Ottawa Hospital, be considered a “standard of care, clinical evidence available” for people with certain
	Chaos in the nucleus: research on eye cells could provide insight into degenerative diseases August 22, 2018 - The nucleus of a cell is usually a highly organized structure, with more than a metre of DNA packaged very carefully into a tiny volume. A number of degenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s, SCA7 and progeria are associated with a breakdown in n
	New scientist aims to harness stem cells to repair bone and cartilage July 4, 2018 - Could stem cells be harnessed to help broken bones heal faster? Could they repair damage due to osteoarthritis and sports injuries? Speed healing in people having joint replacement surgery? These are just some of the questions that Dr. Daniel Coutu w
	Stem cell researchers tackle muscle weakness in older people May 30, 2018 - For most people, muscle loss is a normal part of aging that makes daily tasks harder. Muscle loss called sarcopenia happens more quickly, leading to falls and decreased mobility. One reason for this muscle loss is that stem cells that help repair dam

Researchers

Name	Scientific appointment	Diseases, conditions and populations of interest	Research and clinical approaches
Allan, David MD FRCPC	Scientist (Cancer Research)	Blood cancer, Vascular, heart and metabolic disease	Cell therapy, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Systematic reviews, Transfusions, Translational research, Transplantation
Atkins, Harold MD, FRCPC	Senior Clinician Investigator (Cancer Research)	Autoimmune disease, Autoimmune diseases of the nervous system, Blood cancer, Cancer, Multiple sclerosis, Myasthenia gravis, Stiff person syndrome	Basic research, Cancer biotherapeutics, Cancer immunotherapy, Cell therapy, Clinical trials, Immunotherapy, Oncolytic viruses, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Translational research, Transplantation, Viral therapy
Burger, Dylan PhD	Senior Scientist (Inflammation and Chronic Disease)	Aging, Diabetes, Heart disease, Hypertension, Kidney disease, Maternal and fetal health, Obesity, Thrombosis / thromboembolism, Type 1 diabetes, Vascular cognitive impairment, Vascular, heart and metabolic disease	Basic research, Biomarkers, Disease models, Exercise, Extracellular vesicles / exosomes, Imaging, Model organisms, Molecular and cellular biology, Pharmacology, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Transgenic/knockout models, Translational research
Burns, Kevin MD CM, FRCPC	Senior Scientist (Inflammation and Chronic Disease)	Diabetes, Kidney disease, Vascular, heart and metabolic disease	Basic research, Biomarkers, Cell therapy, Clinical research, Disease models, Extracellular vesicles / exosomes, Gene expression, Molecular and cellular biology, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Transgenic/knockout models, Translational research
Campbell, Mark MD, MSc	Clinician Investigator (Regenerative Medicine)	Bone and joint degeneration, Musculoskeletal conditions, Stroke	Basic research, Regenerative medicine, Rehabilitation, Translational research
Coutu, Daniel PhD	Scientist (Regenerative Medicine)	Aging, Arthritis, Autoimmune disease, Bleeding disorders, Blood cancer, Bone and joint degeneration, Bone and joint injuries, Musculoskeletal conditions, Osteoporosis	Basic research, Bioinformatics, Biomaterials, Cell therapy, Gene expression, Gene therapy, Genetics, Genomics, Imaging, Immunotherapy, Molecular and cellular biology, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Surgery, Systems biology, Transgenic/knockout models, Translational research
Dilworth, Jeffrey PhD	Senior Scientist Affiliate (Regenerative Medicine)	Aging, Muscular dystrophy, Neuromuscular disease	Basic research, Epigenetics, Gene expression, Genomics, Molecular and cellular biology, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells
Freedman, Mark HBSc, MSc, MD, CSPQ, FAAN, FRCPC	Senior Scientist (Neuroscience)	Multiple sclerosis	Cell therapy, Clinical research, Regenerative medicine, Clinical trials
Gage, Blair PhD	Scientist (Regenerative Medicine)	Bleeding disorders, Diabetes, Liver cancer, Liver disease, Vascular, heart and metabolic disease	Basic research, Bioinformatics, Cell therapy, Disease models, Gene expression, Gene therapy, Genetics, Genomics, Model organisms, Molecular and cellular biology, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Translational research, Transplantation
Ito, Caryn PhD	Senior Investigator (Regenerative Medicine)	Blood cancer, Cancer	Basic research, Bioinformatics, Biomarkers, Drug development, Epigenetics, Molecular and cellular biology, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Systems biology, Translational research
Kothary, Rashmi Ph.D.	Senior Scientist (Regenerative Medicine)	Neuromuscular disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Multiple sclerosis, Muscular dystrophy, Spinal muscular atrophy	Basic research, Disease models, Drug development, Epigenetics, Epigenetics, Gene therapy, Genetics, Imaging, Lipidomics, Model organisms, Molecular and cellular biology, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Transgenic/knockout models, Translational research
Lalu, Manoj MD, PhD, FRCPC	Scientist (Acute Care Research)	Blood cancer, COVID-19, Heart disease, Stroke, Vascular, heart and metabolic disease	Anesthesiology, Basic research, Cell therapy, Clinical research, Clinical trials, Disease models, Health research methods, Model organisms, Patient engagement, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Translational research
Mattar, Pierre PhD	Senior Scientist (Regenerative Medicine)	Autism, Autoimmune diseases of the nervous system, Glaucoma, Intellectual disabilities, Macular degeneration, Retinal disease, Vision	Basic research, Bioinformatics, Cell therapy, Epigenetics, Gene expression, Genetics, Genomics, Model organisms, Molecular and cellular biology, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Systems biology, Transgenic/knockout models
Mei, Shirley PhD, MSc	Investigator (Regenerative Medicine)	COVID-19, Infectious disease, Influenza, Lung disease, Septic shock	Basic research, Biomarkers, Cell therapy, Critical care, Disease models, Drug development, Epigenetics, Gene therapy, Knowledge translation and implementation research, Molecular and cellular biology, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Translational research
Perkins, Theodore PhD	Senior Scientist (Regenerative Medicine)	Brain and neuromuscular disease, Cancer, Muscular dystrophy, Musculoskeletal conditions, Neuromuscular disease	Artificial intelligence and data science, Basic research, Big data, Bioinformatics, Biomarkers, Biostatistics, Epigenetics, Gene expression, Genetics, Genomics, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Systems biology, Translational research
Picketts, David Ph.D.	Senior Scientist (Regenerative Medicine)	Autism, Brain and neuromuscular disease, Intellectual disabilities, Multiple sclerosis, Stroke, Vision	Basic research, Disease models, Epigenetics, Molecular and cellular biology, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Transgenic/knockout models
Ramsay, Timothy PhD	Senior Scientist (Methodological and Implementation Research)	Addiction, Alzheimer's, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Anxiety, Ataxia, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Autism, Bipolar, Brain and neuromuscular disease, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Colorectal cancer, Concussion, Cystic fibrosis, Dementia, Depression, First Nations, Inuit and Métis Health, HIV, Immigrant and refugee health, Influenza, Kidney disease, Lung cancer, Macular degeneration, Men's health, Multiple sclerosis, Muscular dystrophy, Myasthenia gravis, Obesity, Ovarian cancer, Parkinson's, Pulmonary hypertension, Septic shock, Spinal cord injury	Artificial intelligence and data science, Behaviour, Biomaterials, Biostatistics, Cell therapy, Clinical decision rules, Clinical research, Clinical trials, Cohort studies, Critical care, Drug development, Emergency medicine, Epidemiology, Health professional behaviour change, Health promotion, Health research methods, Health services research, Health technology, Immunization, Immunotherapy, Palliative care, Patient decision aids, Pharmacology, Pharmacy, Prevention, Psychology, Psychometrics, Public health, Qualitative methods, Quality Improvement, Regenerative medicine, Rehabilitation, Risk assessment, Shared decision making, Surgery, Surveys, Systematic reviews, Transfusions, Translational research, Transplantation, Viral therapy
Rudnicki, Michael OC, PhD, FRS, FRSC	Program Director and Senior Scientist (Regenerative Medicine)	Muscular dystrophy, Neuromuscular disease	Basic research, Bioinformatics, Disease models, Epigenetics, Genetics, Genomics, Model organisms, Molecular and cellular biology, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Transgenic/knockout models
Stanford, William PhD	Senior Scientist (Regenerative Medicine)	Aging, Blood cancer, Cancer, COVID-19, Lung cancer, Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), Vascular, heart and metabolic disease	Artificial intelligence and data science, Molecular and cellular biology, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Systems biology
Stewart, Duncan MD, FRCPC	Senior Scientist (Regenerative Medicine)	COVID-19, Heart disease, Pulmonary hypertension, Septic shock, Vascular, heart and metabolic disease	Extracellular vesicles / exosomes, Stem cells, Cell therapy, Clinical trials, Molecular and cellular biology, Regenerative medicine, Translational research
Thébaud, Bernard MD, PhD	Senior Scientist (Regenerative Medicine)	Lung disease, Newborn and child health	Cell therapy, Extracellular vesicles / exosomes, Molecular and cellular biology, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Translational research
Trudel, Guy MD	Senior Scientist (Inflammation and Chronic Disease)	Anemia, Bone and joint degeneration, Musculoskeletal conditions	Basic research, Biomarkers, Molecular and cellular biology, Regenerative medicine, Rehabilitation
Tsai, Eve MD, PhD, FRCSC, CIP	Scientist (Neuroscience)	Brain and neuromuscular disease, Cancer, Spinal cord injury	Biomaterials, Clinical research, Clinical trials, Imaging, Molecular and cellular biology, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Translational research
Wang, Jing Ph.D.	Senior Scientist (Regenerative Medicine)	Alzheimer's, Multiple sclerosis, Stroke	Cell therapy, Disease models, Epigenetics, Imaging, Molecular and cellular biology, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Transgenic/knockout models