Schulich Heart Program
SRI programs
Senior scientist
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
2075 Bayview Ave., Room M7 611
Toronto, ON
M4N 3M5
Administrative Assistant: Kim Allen
Phone: 416-480-6100 ext. 65718
Email: kimberly.allen@sunnybrook.ca
Senior Administrative Assistant, Schulich Heart Research Program: Tasneem Dalal
Phone: 416-480-4975
Email: tasneem.dalal@sri.utoronto.ca
Education:
- B.A.Sc., 1985, systems engineering, University of Waterloo, Canada
- M.A.Sc., 1986, systems engineering, University of Waterloo, Canada
- PhD, 1991, electrical engineering, Stanford University, U.S.
Appointments and Affiliations:
- Senior scientist, Physical Sciences, Schulich Heart Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute
- Professor, medical biophysics, University of Toronto
- Consultant, radiology department, Hospital for Sick Children
- Consultant, departments of electrical engineering and radiology, Stanford University
- Canada Research Chair in Imaging for Cardiovascular Therapeutics, Tier 1
Research Focus:
- Cardiovascular imaging, particularly MRI, for disease assessment/intervention guidance
Research Summary:
Dr. Wright's research efforts include:
- basic biophysics to characterize the relationship between MR signals and underlying physiology in blood and tissue;
- engineering to develop more effective methods to acquire, analyze, and visualize medical images; and
- application of these tools to assessment, treatment planning, and therapy guidance in ischemic and congenital heart diseases and neurovascular and peripheral vascular diseases.
Contributions from Dr. Wright's group have included methods to characterize effects of oxygen in blood and tissue on MRI signal behaviour in vivo, a tool to automatically detect contrast agent arrival in a vessel facilitating a rapid MR acquisition of 3-D vascular maps, and real-time adaptive tools in MRI for improving the quality of coronary artery images. Through work with many clinical collaborators, these tools are being used in a wide range of patient studies.
Current work builds on the group's central role in the Ontario Consortium for Cardiac Imaging where the focus is to develop and evaluate the role of multiple imaging modalities applied to cardiac diseases and in the Imaging Research Centre for Cardiac Intervention to design and test new imaging approaches to guide innovative minimally invasive cardiovascular therapies.
Selected Publications:
See current publications list at PubMed.
Related News and Stories:
- Three Sunnybrook Research Institute scientists awarded Canada Research Chairs: Drs. JoAnne McLaurin, Meaghan O’Reilly and Bojana Stefanovic recognized with country's highest research honour (June 17, 2019)
- MRI technique holds key to selecting patients for heart treatment: New method of identifying hard versus soft lesions shows promise for people with peripheral arterial disease (SRI Magazine, 2018)
- Resounding approval: Sunnybrook Research Institute's success rate in CIHR competition soars past national average (Jan. 25, 2018)
- On steady ground: scientist takes up Canada Research Chair for a second term (Dec. 21, 2017)
- Pioneering science rewarded: Canada Foundation for Innovation invests in image-guided therapeutics research (Oct. 12, 2017)
- SRI scientists top the national average in successful CIHR project grants: Over a dozen projects approved (June 2, 2017)
- High honour: Scientist elected into prestigious association (May 1, 2017)
- CIHR responds to revolt while releasing results: peer rebellion brings promise of change to granting agency (July 18, 2016)
- A celebration of cardiac research: Researchers showcase heart program’s cutting-edge work (Nov. 25, 2015)
- Taking a chance: Co-op summer student gains knowledge in cardiac imaging (Aug. 19, 2015)
- Fostering innovation: A closer look at the startup ecosystem in Canada and beyond (June 19, 2015)
- Bleeding Heart: redefining hemorrhage as a major contributor to reperfusion injury opens up new avenues for treatment (SRI Magazine, 2015)
- Keeping the Beat: Imaging-guided technique for complex arrhythmias could save lives (SRI Magazine, 2015)
- A hearty showcase of cardiac care: Researchers present state-of-the-art cardiovascular interventions at annual research day (Nov. 26, 2014)
- Anatomy of a startup: Research day bridges gap between innovation and commercialization (June 19, 2014)
- Driving progress: National health research agency funds a dozen SRI scientists (April 25, 2014)
- The heart of innovation: Research day showcases latest in cardiac care (Nov. 27, 2013)
- Making the cut: Amid fiscal challenges, SRI researchers get funded (Feb. 7, 2013)
- From state-of-the-art to standard of care: Heart program's focus on commercialization aims to bring innovations to patients faster (Nov. 26, 2012)
- Summit highlights advances in cardiac research: Translating ideas into therapies for clinical care (June 15, 2012)
- Canada Research Chair awarded to leading heart scientist (Dec. 3, 2010)
- Just What Is Regenerative Medicine, Anyway? The definitive guide to build a better body. Or not. (SRI Magazine, 2009)
- Summit touts translation: Scientists apply innovative solutions to chronic total occlusions (July 23, 2009)
- Transforming cardiac care: The Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation profiles Dr. Wright and his projects that are revolutionizing how cardiovascular disease is diagnosed and treated (Nov. 19, 2008)
- $23 Million awarded for health research (Feb. 7, 2008)
- Heart felt: Sunnybrook’s second annual Schulich Heart Program Research Day beats all (Dec. 7, 2007)
- Conference consummation: The Imaging Network Ontario met for its sixth and perhaps final research symposium, and a keynote theme was progress (May 8, 2007)
- Wind at their back: SRI joins forces with GE Healthcare (Sunnybrook Research Institute Research Report, 2004–2006)
- Imaging success: Sunnybrook drives ImNO symposium to new heights: Scientists, students and industry gather at increasingly popular annual event (May 18, 2006)
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