Applied Health Research Centre (AHRC)

Our People

The AHRC's greatest strength is its people.

Partners are paired with a dedicated project manager who coordinates teams of specialists including researchers, clinicians, statisticians, business and operational experts, with the requisite skills and expertise.

Partners also have access to our resources at St. Michael's, it's research partners within the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and the university.

Through our relationship with St. Michael’s, the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, and the University of Toronto (with which we are fully affiliated), we can provide our partners access to a broad range of research resources and technology capabilities.”

The Director of the AHRC is Dr. Muhammad Mamdani, PharmD, MA, MPH. Dr. Mamdani and the following respected leaders in clinical research make up the AHRC's Advisory Team:

Advisory Team

Dr. Muhammad Mamdani, PharmD, MA, MPH Director, AHRC Bio Muhammad Mamdani is the Director of the Applied Health Research Centre (AHRC) of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute (LKSKI) at St. Michael's Hospital. He provides overall leadership of the AHRC and is also actively involved in clinical research as the lead of the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network. Dr. Mamdani completed his Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree from the University of Michigan, a fellowship in pharmacoeconomics and a Master of Arts (MA) degree in economics from Wayne State University and a Master of Public Health (MPH) in quantitative methods from Harvard University. He is an internationally renowned pharmacoepidemiologist who has published over 170 articles in peer-reviewed medical journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, the Lancet, the Journal of the American Medical Association, the British Medical Journal, and the Canadian Medical Association Journal. In addition to his leadership role with the AHRC, Dr. Mamdani is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Pharmacy in the respective faculties at the University of Toronto, an Adjunct Scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), and a member of the Human Drug Advisory Panel of the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) of Canada. Publications Please find below a list of selected publications that Dr. Mamdani has authored and or been involved in. For additional publications, please click on the PubMed link. Gomes T, Juurlink DN, Shah BR, Paterson MJ, Mamdani MM. Blood Glucose Test Strips: Options to Reduce Usage. CMAJ. 2010;182(1):35-8. Dhalla IA, Mamdani MM, Sivilotti ML, Kopp A, Qureshi O, Juurlink DN. Prescribing of opioid analgesics and related mortality before and after the introduction of long-acting oxycodone. CMAJ. 2009;181(12):891-6. Wald R, Quinn RR, Luo J, Li P, Scales DC, Mamdani MM, Ray JG. Chronic dialysis and death among survivors of acute kidney injury requiring dialysis. JAMA. 2009;302(11):1179-85. Juurlink DN, Gomes T, Lipscombe LL, Austin PC, Hux JE, Mamdani MM. Adverse cardiovascular events during treatment with Pioglitazone and Rosiglitazone: A population-based cohort study. BMJ. 2009;339:b2942. Juurlink DN, Gomes T, Ko DT, Szmitko PE, Austin PC, Tu JV, Henry DA, Kopp A, Mamdani MM. A population-based study of the drug interaction between proton pump inhibitors and clopidogrel. CMAJ. 2009;180(7):713-8.. Mamdani MM. Health Advisories: when good intentions go bad. CMAJ. 2008;178(8):1025-6. Park-Wyllie LY, Juurlink DN, Kopp A, Shah BR, Stukel TA, Stumpo C, Dresser L, Low DE, Mamdani MM. Outpatient gatifloxacin therapy and dysglycemia in older adults. N Engl J Med. 2006;354(13):1352-61. Hackam DG, Mamdani M, Li P, Redelmeier DA. Statins and sepsis in patients with cardiovascular disease: a population-based cohort analysis. Lancet. 2006;367:413-8. Mamdani MM, Sykora K, Li P, Normand SLT, Streiner DL, Austin PC, Rochon PA, Anderson GM. Reader’s Guide to Critical Appraisal of Cohort Studies: 2. Assessing Potential for Confounding. BMJ 2005 Apr 23;330(7497):960-2. Gill SS, Rochon PA, Herrmann N, Lee PE, Sykora K, Gunraj N, Norma SL, Gurwitz JH, Marras C, Wodchis WP, Mamdani M. Atypical antipsychotic drugs and risk of ischemic stroke: Population based retrospective cohort study. BMJ. 2005;330(7489):445. Juurlink D, Mamdani M, Lee D, Laupacis A, Austin P, Kopp A , Redelmeier D. Rates of hyperkalemia after publication of the randomized aldactone evaluation study. N Engl J Med. 2004;351(6):543-51. Mamdani M, Juurlink DN, Kopp A, Naglie G, Austin PC, Laupacis A. Gastrointestinal Bleeding after the introduction of COX-2 inhibitors: ecological study. BMJ 2004;328(7453):1415-1416. Laupacis A, Mamdani M. Observational studies of treatment effectiveness: some cautions. Ann Intern Med 2004;140(11):923-4. Mamdani M, Juurlink DN, Lee DS, Stukel TA, Rochon PA, Kopp A, Naglie G, Austin PC, Laupacis A. Cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors versus non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and congestive heart failure outcomes in elderly patients: a population-based cohort study. Lancet. 2004;363(9453):1751-1756. Ko DT, Mamdani M, Alter D.A. Lipid Lowering Therapy with Statins in High Risk Elderly Patients: The Treatment-Risk Paradox JAMA. 2004;291(15):1864-70. Austin PC, Mamdani M, Tu K, Zwarenstein M. Changes in prescribing patterns following publication of the ALLHAT trial. JAMA. 2004;291(1):44-5. Austin PC, Mamdani M, Tu K, Jaakkimainen L. Prescriptions for estrogen replacement therapy in Ontario before and after the Women’s Health Initiative Study. JAMA. 2003;289:3241-2. Van Walraven C, Mamdani M, Cohn A, Katib Y, Walker M, Rodger MA. Research pointers: Risk of subsequent thromboembolism for patients with pre-eclampsia. BMJ. 2003;326: 791-2. Juurlink DN, Mamdani M, Kopp A, Laupacis A, Redelmeier DA. Drug-drug interactions among elderly patients hospitalized for drug toxicity. JAMA 2003;289:1652-8. Mamdani M, Rochon P, Juurlink DN, Kopp A, Anderson G, Naglie G, Austin PC, Laupacis A. Observational study of upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage in elderly patients given selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors or conventional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. BMJ. 2002;325:624-7. More entries at PubMed
Dr. Art Slutsky, MD Clinical Trials & DSMBs Bio Dr. Arthur Slutsky is the Vice President, Research, at St. Michael's Hospital. Under his leadership, St. Michael's has greatly expanded its research capabilities and resources and is about to open its leading edge research facility, the Keenan Research Center in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute. Dr. Slutsky obtained a BASc and MASc in Engineering before graduating from medicine at McMaster University. Subsequently, he was a pulmonary/critical care fellow and an Assistant Professor at Harvard, and returned to the University of Toronto in 1984. He has published more than 350 peer reviewed articles and his work has been cited almost 20,000 times. He has received numerous research awards including the Recognition for Scientific Accomplishments Award of the American Thoracic Society (ATS). Dr. Slutsky has chaired or been a member of many Data Monitoring and Safety Boards (DSMB) and has been an advisor to the US Food and Drug Administration on Biomedical Research, as well as chairing the FDA's Anaesthesiology and Respiratory Devices Panel for eight years. Currently he is Director of the interdepartmental Division of Critical Care Medicine at University of Toronto. His primary investigative areas of interest are translational research and clinical trials in intensive care and mechanical ventilation.
Dr. Andreas Laupacis, MD, MSc. Clinical Trials and Health Policy Bio Dr. Andreas Laupacis is the Executive Director of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital (LKSKI) within which the AHRC is situated. Dr. Laupacis completed his MD at Queen's University and his masters in Design, Measurement and Evaluation at McMaster University, Canada. He brings broad academic experience in clinical trials, health policy, health economics, and clinical epidemiology to the AHRC and has authored over 270 peer-reviewed publications and numerous policy reports. He is a past President and CEO (2001-2006) of the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, one of Canada's largest health services research organizations. In addition to his academic work, Dr. Laupacis has considerable health policy experience, having been the first chair of the Canadian Expert Drug Advisory Committee (2003-2006) and is currently Chair of the Quality and Safety committee of the Alberta Health Services Board. Dr. Laupacis is a Professor of Medicine and Health Policy Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto and an adjunct scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences.
Prof. Robin Roberts, MSc, BSc Clinical Trials Methodology & Biostatistics Bio Prof. Robin Roberts is a biostatistician with broadly based experience in epidemiological research in etiology, diagnosis, and treatment. His early interests involved cancer epidemiology, particularly applied to occupational exposures. In the mid 80's his research focus moved into the design, execution, and analysis of randomized controlled trials. The primarily therapeutic target has been vascular disease but more recent studies have also included neonatal interventions. He was a principal investigator of large international trials providing pivotal evidence for the regulatory approval of the platelet active drugs Ticlopidine and Clopidogrel for the prevention of major ischemic events. He is currently a member of the Steering Committees of a number of major national and international trials in the role of methodologist and chief biostatistician. He also sits on the Safety Committees of a number of other major trials. Professor Roberts is the senior biostatistician at the Hamilton Civic Hospitals Research Centre where he provides ongoing methodologic support to his colleagues and clinician researchers in the McMaster system. He is also active in graduate education via the Health Research Methods Programme.
Dr. David Klein, MD, MBA Head of Medical Affairs and Business Strategy Bio Dr. David Klein is Head of Medical Affairs and Business Strategy for the Applied Health Research Center at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute. Dr. Klein trained in Internal Medicine and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Toronto and completed his MBA at the Kellogg School of Management. While a consultant at McKinsey&Co., he was a founding member of the Canadian Healthcare Practice and served as an advisor in therapeutic area strategy to several large pharmaceutical companies. He has also been involved in medical affairs for the last 10 years for Canadian biotechnology firms and has contributed to clinical trial development, clinical trial oversight, health Canada and FDA regulatory submissions including 510K and PMA. Dr. Klein is also active in research in biomarkers in critical care and has published and presented his work internationally. At the AHRC, he is responsible for business strategy including partnerships and alliances as well as medical affairs and medical oversight of the AHRC.
Dr. Jeff Hoch, MA, PhD Health Economist

The AHRC Team

Dr. Muhammad Mamdani, PharmD, MA, MPH Director, AHRC Bio Muhammad Mamdani is the Director of the Applied Health Research Centre (AHRC) of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute (LKSKI) at St. Michael's Hospital. He provides overall leadership of the AHRC and is also actively involved in clinical research as the lead of the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network. Dr. Mamdani completed his Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree from the University of Michigan, a fellowship in pharmacoeconomics and a Master of Arts (MA) degree in economics from Wayne State University and a Master of Public Health (MPH) in quantitative methods from Harvard University. He is an internationally renowned pharmacoepidemiologist who has published over 170 articles in peer-reviewed medical journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, the Lancet, the Journal of the American Medical Association, the British Medical Journal, and the Canadian Medical Association Journal. In addition to his leadership role with the AHRC, Dr. Mamdani is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Pharmacy in the respective faculties at the University of Toronto, an Adjunct Scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), and a member of the Human Drug Advisory Panel of the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) of Canada.
Dr. David Klein, MD, MBA Head of Medical Affairs and Business Strategy Bio Dr. David Klein is Head of Medical Affairs and Business Strategy for the Applied Health Research Center at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute. Dr. Klein trained in Internal Medicine and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Toronto and completed his MBA at the Kellogg School of Management. While a consultant at McKinsey&Co., he was a founding member of the Canadian Healthcare Practice and served as an advisor in therapeutic area strategy to several large pharmaceutical companies. He has also been involved in medical affairs for the last 10 years for Canadian biotechnology firms and has contributed to clinical trial development, clinical trial oversight, health Canada and FDA regulatory submissions including 510K and PMA. Dr. Klein is also active in research in biomarkers in critical care and has published and presented his work internationally. At the AHRC, he is responsible for business strategy including partnerships and alliances as well as medical affairs and medical oversight of the AHRC.
Ms. Judith Hall, MSc. Manager, Clinical Trials Bio Ms. Judith Hall Judith Hall is the Manager of the Clinical Trials Unit, and responsible for oversight of all Clinical Trials being managed by AHRC. She has been managing research teams and supervising trial monitors and operational staff for over 10 years. Prior to joining the AHRC in 2008, Ms. Hall worked in the pharmaceutical and CRO industries as a clinical trials project manager and clinical data manager. She has extensive trial management experience in Canadian and multinational trials, and in many therapeutic areas including neurology, psychiatry, oncology, respiratory and gastroenterology. She holds a Master's degree from the University of Toronto (Pharmacology) and a Bachelor's degree from McGill (Biochemistry.)
Ms. Natascha Kozlowski, MPH Manager, Research Quality and Process Bio Ms. Natascha Kozlowski has over eight years experience in clinical trial management and is the Manager, Research Quality and Process of the AHRC. She has managed clinical operations departments in both industry and academia, and has been involved in case report form design, data management activities, project management, acting as a sponsor liaison, collecting data, and operationalizing complex clinical protocols, including patient recruitment in vulnerable populations.
Dr. Damian Jankowicz, PhD Head, Research Information Bio Dr. Damian Jankowicz is the head of Research Information Technology and manages the information technology team at the AHRC. Dr. Jankowicz has graduate training in computational neuropsychology and has extensive experience in the set-up and management of complex health informatics technologies.
Ms. Magda Melo, MSc, BSc Manager, Observational Epidemiology and Qualitative Research Bio Ms. Magda Melo is a pharmacist and an epidemiologist who has worked extensively with large databases and is the Manager of the Observational Epidemiology and Qualitative Research Unit of the AHRC. Magda has also experience in the planning and operations of patient registries, and she is the author of 15 papers in peer-reviewed medical journals and a book chapter.
Mr. Khalid Sabihuddin, MBA, BSc Business Operations Manager Bio Mr. Khalid Sabihuddin is the Business Operations Manager at the AHRC. With four years of clinical research experience, as well as experience in information systems and other areas, Khalid brings a breadth of knowledge to the AHRC. Leveraging existing hospital infrastructure, specialized processes and dedicated business operations personnel to ensure efficient operation, Khalid oversees AHRC business activities, which include human resource management, financial management, and contract management.