By: Sofia Ramirez, William Osler Health System, Research Communications Specialist
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a rapid escalation in global clinical research endeavors to discover effective treatments for the formidable new virus.1 However, in Canada, numerous hospitals grappling with a surge in COVID-19 cases found themselves unable to participate in clinical trials due to a lack of prior research experience. This challenge was particularly pronounced for large suburban community hospitals in Canada's major cities.
At the time, William Osler Health System (Osler) in Brampton, situated at the epicentre of one of hardest hit communities in the province during the pandemic, distinguished itself from most community hospitals. Osler had been cultivating its research infrastructure since 2013, under the guidance of the late Dr. Ron Heslegrave.
Dr. Heslegrave championed the idea that clinical research should be accessible to all patients, regardless of their geographic location. As a result, when the pandemic reached Canada, Dr. Heslegrave leveraged Osler's research resources and processes to find viable treatments for COVID-19. He entrusted Dr. Alexandra Binnie, leading its Intensive Care Unit (ICU) research, to spearhead COVID-19 clinical trials in both the ICU and on the ward.
"While other research studies were being put on hold, Osler's COVID-19 research studies took off and quickly became a key area of focus. As a result, we were able to recruit hundreds of COVID-19 patients into clinical trials during the first year of the pandemic," reflects Dr. Binnie, "Many of those trials defined how we treat COVID-19 today, and we are proud that our patients received the best possible therapies, as early as possible, while contributing to the global understanding of COVID-19."
In addition to participating in large international studies, Osler engaged in smaller experimental studies. "Once people knew that we were able to conduct clinical research, they were keen for us to collaborate on their studies," notes Dr. Binnie. A recently published study, Decidual stromal cells for the treatment of severe COVID-19 ARDS, conducted at Osler and Toronto General Hospital focused on evaluating placental decidual stromal cells (DSC), a type of stem cell that modifies the immune response, as a treatment for severe COVID-19.2 The results demonstrated that the cells were safe and researchers found that patients receiving the therapy had better survival rates compared with a cohort of similar COVID-19 patients who did not receive the cells.
The pandemic was a difficult time in many health care settings – at Osler, the team rose to the challenge and helped to support innovations in patient care. "Running clinical trials when the hospital was overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients was challenging but it renewed our dedication and offered hope," says Dr. Binnie. "Doing research like this fueled our commitment to going beyond in the care we were providing to make things better for our patients."
Dr. Rosa Myrna Marticorena, the Manager for Clinical Research at Osler, who actively participated in the study, remarked, "This study gave us optimism, as we were able to offer this glimmer of hope to patients." She also emphasized the collective effort and unwavering dedication of the health care team. "It was the collaborative spirit among our team, working tirelessly around the clock, that fostered a sense of unity and purpose. Against this backdrop, Dr. Binnie emerged as a key figure, bringing enthusiasm and expertise as the Principal Investigator. She was instrumental to the success of the trials."
Dr. Binnie is distinguished not only for her scientific contributions but also her commitment to sharing knowledge and supporting community hospital research beyond Osler's walls. As co-chair of the Canadian Community ICU Research Network, she has played a pivotal role in developing the Community Hospital Research Toolkit,3 an open-access guide to establishing and maintaining research programs in community hospitals. This initiative, created in collaboration with Dr. Jennifer Tsang, Research Lead and Co-Director Critical Care Research at Niagara Health System, aims to make research more accessible to community hospitals across Canada.
Dr. Binnie's efforts, from the Osler ICU to community hospital research outreach, serve as a testament to the resilience and collaborative spirit within the greater health care community. This work contributes not only to scientific knowledge but also to the transformation of health care research practices, ultimately benefiting patients and communities across Ontario.
References
Sohrabi, C., Mathew, G., Franchi, T., Kerwan, A., Griffin, M., Del Mundo, J. S. C., ... & Agha, R. (2021). Impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on scientific research and implications for clinical academic training–a review. International Journal of Surgery, 86, 57-63.
Granton, John, et al. Decidual stromal cells for the treatment of severe COVID-19 ARDS. Intensive Care Medicine, 2023, p. 1-3.
A Guide to Building a Community Hospital Clinical Research Program, Community Hospital Clinical Research Toolkit (ccctg.ca), 2023