I am Chief Scientific Officer and Vice-President Research at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and a proud citizen of Ottawa and the Champlain Region; proud because of the strength and generosity of our community that has provided unwavering and continued support for our University of Ottawa Heart Institute which has enabled it to become the world-class institution that it is today.

Overview

Dr. Peter Liu is the Chief Scientific Officer and Vice President of Research at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.

Background

Dr. Liu joined the Heart Institute as the Scientific Director in 2012. He received his M.D. and completed his postgraduate training in Internal Medicine and Cardiology at University of Toronto and Harvard Medical School.

Formerly, as the inaugural Director of the Heart & Stroke/Richard Lewar Centre of Excellence at the University of Toronto, Dr. Liu successfully fostered collaboration amongst researchers from various institutions, while increasing the impact of publications. Subsequently as Scientific Director of the Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Dr. Liu launched national networks in imaging, clinical trials and knowledge translation and fostered national and international research networks. Dr. Liu has designed the Ottawa region cardiovascular research strategy (ORACLE) and is implementing it in stages. Dr. Liu also directs several large-scale national and international research programs.

Dr. Liu has been recognized with numerous awards, including both the Research Achievement Award and the Life Time Achievement Award of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society, the Rick Gallop Award of the Heart & Stroke Foundation, and the Institute of Circulatory & Respiratory Health Distinguished Lecture Award of CIHR, and the Margolese Award from UBC, amongst others.

Research & Clinical Interests

Well known for his contributions to heart failure and cardiac inflammation research, Dr. Liu discovered how viruses can enter the myocardium and trigger inflammation, and how innate and acquired immunity contribute to cardiac remodelling and heart failure progression following injury. His laboratory currently focuses on innovative proteomic biomarkers to detect early and personalize treatment for cardiac diseases, and elucidate novel mechanisms of disease.

Dr. Liu is also interested in knowledge translation, having harmonized and simplified the major national guidelines using a novel evidence-based consensus approach (C-CHANGE program), and finding ways to maximize knowledge translation globally using innovative technologies.

Message from the Chief Scientific Officer/VP Research

At the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) we pride ourselves in our tradition of innovation and research excellence. The UOHI has major research programs in cardiovascular biology, imaging, regenerative medicine and diseases such as heart failure, arrhythmias and vascular disease. Our research contribution and impact place us in the top 3% of all institutions worldwide and within the top four research institutions in Canada, amongst all disciplines (according to normalized data: SCIMAGO/Scopus 2014).

Our research excellence is built on a foundation of globally recognized achievements. Major discoveries and advances include the characterization of natriuretic peptides in the heart by Professor Adolfo de Bold; the genetic polymorphism at 9p21 as the most potent risk loci for coronary disease by Drs. Ruth MacPherson, Robert Roberts, and Alex Stewart; the best method for treatment patients with anti-coagulant for pacemaker or ICD surgery by Dr. David Birnie and colleagues; our internationally recognized region-wide STEMI heart attack protocol by Dr. Michel Le May and colleagues; as well as the principles and design of the artificial heart by Drs. Mussivand and Keon.

We lead the Ottawa Region for Advanced Cardiovascular Research Excellence (ORACLE) strategy. Self-organizing Innovation Hubs synergize talented investigators from different disciplines and our partner institutions to work together to solve big problems in health in general and cardiovascular diseases in particular. A major goal for our research program is to transform innovations into solutions that improve patient health and wellbeing. We particularly value national and international collaborations that can fast-track discoveries and maximize impact.

Close collaborations with the University of Ottawa permit an active recruitment program to renew our faculty. Our recent strategic recruits are having stellar successes in national grant competitions, and receiving recognitions through research awards and scholarships.

We have a strong foundation to ensure the success of our faculty and trainees, including state-of-the-art infrastructure and supportive programs such as internal grant review, mentorship and competitive awards.

With the amazing efforts of our research teams we continue to anticipate and meet the health challenges of tomorrow. With original ideas and effective solutions generated by our talented people, we aim to make cardiovascular disease history.

Peter Liu, MD

CSO/VP Research

University of Ottawa Heart Institute