About the obstetric anesthesia research unit

The obstetric anesthesia research unit (OARU) is the first research unit in Canada specifically dedicated to the generation of knowledge and the dissemination and transfer of evidence-based clinical practices in obstetrical anesthesia.

OARU was established in 2005 as part of Women's College Research Institute, under the direction of Dr. Jean Kronberg, anesthetist-in-chief at Women's College Hospital. It was founded by clinicians and researchers from the department of anesthesia at Women's College Hospital and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. The unit is now affiliated with the University of Toronto  and Sunnybrook Research Institute. 

OARU's mission is threefold:

• to generate high-quality research evidence using appropriate clinical research methodologies;
• to use this knowledge to build models of evidence-based care and transfer this knowledge into clinical practice; and 
• to teach research methods/principles of evidence-based medicine as part of building research capacity within obstetric anesthesia.