Four PHRI researchers have received more than $3 million in funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research through the Spring 2026 Project Grant competition.
Flavia Borges
Scientist Flavia Borges was awarded $451,350 over three years for the FASTER (Feasibility of Acute Surgery Through Early Randomization) study, which aims to improve care for high-risk patients with acute cholecystitis, a potentially serious inflammation of the gallbladder. Dr. Kelly Vogt, a surgeon at London Health Sciences Centre and the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, is co-principal investigator on the project. The FASTER study will examine whether high-risk patients who undergo surgery within 24 to 48 hours of diagnosis experience fewer major complications and a better quality of life than those who receive usual care. As a vanguard study, FASTER will first determine whether it is feasible to recruit high-risk patients into a larger clinical trial. If successful, the larger FASTER study could help guide treatment decisions and improve care for patients with acute cholecystitis.
Dominik Mertz
Thomas cheier
Scientist Dominik Mertz and Investigator Thomas Scheier were awarded $1,021,276 over three years for REVIVE-AMR, a substudy of the REVIVE trial that will examine the impact of the antibiotic azithromycin on antimicrobial resistance in adults with advanced HIV disease in sub-Saharan Africa. Adults with advanced HIV are at high risk of serious infections and death, particularly in the first few months after starting HIV treatment. While azithromycin may help reduce these deaths, its widespread use could contribute to antimicrobial resistance, making bacterial infections more difficult to treat. The study will help researchers better understand the benefits and potential risks of azithromycin use in this vulnerable population and inform strategies to improve care and improve infection prevention.
Jessica Spence
Scientist Jessica Spence received $2,008,736 over four years to lead TheRAPy trial (The Effect of Retrograde Autologous Priming on Transfusion Requirements After Cardiac Surgery), a national study evaluating whether a simple technique called retrograde autologous priming (RAP) can reduce the need for blood transfusions during cardiac surgery. Blood transfusions are essential for many medical procedures, including open-heart surgery, which accounts for 10 to 20 per cent of Canada’s blood supply. RAP uses a patient’s own blood, rather than saline fluid, to prime the heart-lung machine, potentially reducing blood dilution and the need for transfusions. The study will involve 20 Canadian hospitals and compare RAP with standard practice over one year. If successful, the trial could provide evidence for a simple, low-cost change in cardiac surgery that reduces reliance on donor blood, improves patient outcomes and helps strengthen the stability of Canada’s blood supply.
Learn more about the Spring 2026 Project Grant competition on the CIHR website.
