If you ask Dr. Brian Cuthbertson what he considers the most significant factor in determining the success of a research project, he will tell you that the answer is time. This question of time, specifically, how researchers can ensure that they have enough of it to finish their work, was one of the most important factors considered by the Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine as it designed its Merit Awards Program.
"The program ensures physicians have enough time to undertake research," said Cuthbertson. "Without time, no one succeeds."
The Merit Awards Program was launched in 2018. Since then, every two years, faculty appointed to the department have been invited to apply for funding to support various research projects. Unlike similar awards granted by many other Canadian funding bodies, the Merit Awards Program funds the time investigators need to do the work.
"The program is different because it allows faculty to support their salaries, essentially to buy their time, so they can spend less of time doing clinical work and more time doing their academic work," he added.
Cuthbertson's belief is rooted in his own research experiences. He received a Research Merit Award in 2018 for a study on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Selective Decontamination of the Digestive (SDD) tract in mechanically ventilated patients in the ICU. During SDD, antibiotics are applied directly to the gastrointestinal tract to eliminate the harmful bacteria that may be present while protecting the beneficial bacteria normally present in the gut. The procedure can help reduce the risk of bacterial infections in patients who are critically ill and at high risk of developing infections. The study attempts to answer a long-held question: whether SDD can save the lives of these patients without affecting antibiotic resistance.
To do this, it will consider the results of a massive randomized controlled trial of 15,000 persons across three countries - Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Cuthbertson has been working on this study for 15 years, and the first results, from the Australian component, came out of work funded by his Merit Award. Those results were released in 2022 and show a trend towards a benefit but haven't reached the threshold to show that the procedure definitively saves lives. The findings from the Canadian trials, due to be published this year, could make a difference toward a decisive answer.
"It can take an exceedingly long time to take a project from idea to answers. It is not uncommon for a clinical trial to take between five to eight years. This is especially true for larger trials. The Merit Awards Program understands this and supports researchers through it."
Experienced investigators like Dr. Cuthbertson aren’t the only faculty who are supported by the program. Special considerations were also included for early career researchers.
"Newer investigators deal with a unique set of challenges. Notably, it is a difficult stage in their career when they're trying to learn their clinical responsibilities while establishing an academic career. Again, the key to this is having enough time, which increases their chance of success."
Categories of Merit Awards have been set aside for early-career researchers to increase their opportunities for success. The criteria by which they are judged is also slightly different.
"Younger investigators are prioritized for support and judged using a separate set of metrics that aren't biased toward the time spent in the field. This small change goes a long way to level the playing field," Cuthbertson said.
The results of the 2023-2025 Merit Awards Program will be announced in June. To learn more, visit our website.
