Multidisciplinary teams unite to accelerate progress across the full cardiac arrest journey

The funded research teams will each focus on a priority area: improving prediction and early detection, accelerating response and survival, and optimizing brain recovery—areas critical to saving more lives and improving quality of life for survivors and their families.

The winning teams are led by:

• Brian Grunau, University of British Columbia
  A Multi-Modal Sensor System for Prediction and Early Detection of Cardiac Arrest

• Christian Vaillancourt, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
  Use of Artificial Intelligence Assistance to Accurately Recognize the Presence of Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Rapidly Initiate Life-Saving CPR Instructions During Conversations Between 9-1-1 Callers and Telecommunicators

• Mypinder Sekhon, University of British Columbia
  Transforming Recovery of Global Cardiac Arrest Induced Neurological Injury (REGAIN)

These national, multidisciplinary teams will bring together researchers, clinicians, people with lived experience, and community partners to advance innovative, evidence-based approaches across the full cardiac arrest journey from prevention and early detection to long-term recovery.

“This research represents an important step forward in our efforts to save more lives and improve outcomes for people affected by cardiac arrest. By supporting collaboration and innovation across Canada, and more broadly through our collaborative efforts with the American Heart Association, we are helping to ensure research translates into real-world impact.”
— Doug Roth, CEO, Heart & Stroke

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“We are proud to support research that brings together multidisciplinary teams to address cardiac arrest across the full care continuum, from prevention to recovery. By working across areas of expertise, these teams are advancing more integrated and coordinated approaches to prediction, detection, care, survival and recovery to support better outcomes for people in Canada.”

- Dr. Ariane Marelli, Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health

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“Cardiac arrest is not only a cardiac event, but also a brain health emergency with long-term consequences for survivors and their families. By bringing together multidisciplinary teams focused on prediction, survival, and recovery, this initiative reflects Brain Canada’s commitment to advancing research across the full continuum of care. Through collaboration and innovation with our partners, we are accelerating discoveries that will improve outcomes and deepen our understanding of the critical connection between heart and brain health.”

- Viviane Poupon, President & CEO of Brain Canada

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Each year, approximately 60,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in Canada, and only one in 10 people survive. Fast action is critical as survival decreases every minute without CPR or defibrillation. Improving understanding of rehabilitation and recovery will help improve outcomes for those who experience cardiac arrest.

Despite progress, important gaps remain, including uneven access to care, limited data, and insufficient support for survivors and families. This funding opportunity is designed to close those gaps by advancing research and translating evidence into practice. The research teams will also liaise with the American Heart Association’s Cardiac Arrest Research Team (CART) Network to foster cross-border collaboration and amplify the impact of research through coordinated efforts.