“I want to be able tell a patient, ‘Based on these risk factors, this is how you’re slightly different from the general population, and here’s how we’re going to tailor your treatment accordingly,’” -Dr. Alexandre TranWhether he’s preparing a trauma patient for surgery or caring for a patient in the intensive care unit, Dr. Alexandre Tran is thinking about how to keep them safe from life-threatening bleeds and blood clots. 

The best strategy depends on the patient’s individual risk of clots and bleeding. Their age, weight, and kidney and liver function will also affect how well the medication works. Unfortunately, clinical trials rarely take these personal risk factors into account, making it difficult for physicians to apply a study’s general findings to a patient’s unique scenario. 

To help solve this, Dr. Tran wants to conduct clinical trials where treatment decisions are personalized based on individualized risk assessments for each patient from validated risk models. He is also looking to create a bleeding risk stratification model to help healthcare providers recognize and act upon life-threatening bleeding more quickly and efficiently.

“I want to be able tell a patient, ‘Based on these risk factors, this is how you’re slightly different from the general population, and here’s how we’re going to tailor your treatment accordingly,’” he says.

Recently appointed as an associate scientist in the Acute Care Research Program at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Dr. Tran is a trauma surgeon and critical care physician at The Ottawa Hospital.

The Ottawa Hospital is a leading academic health, research and learning hospital proudly affiliated with the University of Ottawa and supported by The Ottawa Hospital Foundation.