Dr. Bryan Ross
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Experimental Medicine
Clinician-Scientist, Research Institute, McGill University Health Centre
Respirologist, McGill University Health Centre
My research focuses on the determinants and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), triggers and detection of acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD), pulmonary rehabilitation, and remote patient monitoring solutions including the use of wearable technology and digital health innovation. My clinical research program is grounded in the domains of physiology and epidemiology.
1. From ‘Understanding’ to ‘Predicting’ Exacerbations: The COPD Remote Patient Monitoring Platform (start date Jan. 2024):
The latest international guidelines on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have proposed a new definition and classification criteria for exacerbations of COPD (ECOPDs) which in part includes changes in heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation. Patients with COPD at high risk of acute exacerbations followed in the COPD clinical program of the Montreal Chest Institute (MCI) will be equipped with remote wearable devices for near-continuous ambulatory vital sign collection. This will be combined with the performance of once-daily at-home lung function measurements. All remotely collected data will be used to train an algorithm using machine learning methodology. The resulting platform will be capable of the very early detection of new exacerbations.
2. Oral Mitochondrial Supplement During Pulmonary Rehabilitation Participation in Patients with COPD: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial (anticipated start date Sept. 2024):
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with exertional dyspnea, exercise intolerance, sarcopenia and muscle/mitochondrial dysfunction. In this RCT, COPD participants who are participating in a standard Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) program will be randomized to receive either placebo or an oral supplement which has been demonstrated to improve mitochondrial function in older adults and sedentary adults. We hypothesize a synergistic effect in the combined exercise and oral supplementation group on endurance and strength testing when compared with the placebo group.
3. Canadian Cohort for Patients with Advanced COPD (anticipated start date Jan. 2025):
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading global cause of death, and a leading cause of morbidity and of hospital admission in Canada. While the existing outstanding Canadian longitudinal cohort continues to closely follow healthy controls, participants ‘at-risk’ of developing COPD, and participants with mostly mild and moderate COPD, what is currently needed is the launch of a complementary longitudinal study which includes patients with advanced (‘severe’ and ‘very severe’) COPD in order to generate prospective evidence across the spectrum of COPD severity. In our large tertiary clinical COPD patient program, we have developed an evidence-based, guideline-compliant electronic COPD clinical form designed to be highly amenable to back-end data collection. The world-renowned COPD clinical program at the Montreal Chest Institute (MCI) is well-positioned to serve as the flagship site for the subsequent launch of this Canadian cohort which will consist of patients with advanced COPD.