“The PSI 50th Anniversary Clinical Research Award was exceedingly helpful in launching my program of research into a novel area of investigation. I am grateful for the support of the PSI Foundation.”

-Dr. Karen Burns

About Dr. Karen Burns

Dr. Karen Burns is a Critical Care Practitioner and Staff Physician at St. Michael’s Hospital/Unity Health Toronto; an Associate Professor of Medicine and Clinician Scientist at the University of Toronto; a Clinician Scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute; and an Associate Member of the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and a part-time faculty member in the Department of Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact at McMaster University.

Her research focuses on strategies to liberate critically ill patients from mechanical ventilation and understanding practice variation in weaning. This work spans large-scale observational studies, international surveys, meta-analyses, and randomized trials. She also studies consent processes in critical care, while her other research interests include AI in weaning, helmet NIV, acute kidney injury, noninvasive ventilation strategies, and research methodology. Most recently, Dr. Burns’ research program focuses on advancing the conduct and reporting of Sex and Gender Based Analyses (SGBA) in critical care research.

About the Funded Study

In celebration of PSI Foundation’s 50th anniversary, the PSI-50 Mid-Career Clinical Research Award was created as a one-time award which provided up to $300,000 in funding over three or four years. The award was designed for a clinician-researcher between five and 15 years of their first academic appointment. This award recognizes that this phase of a researcher’s career is particularly challenging, with additional academic roles and responsibilities as well as the ongoing clinical work, and it will protect at least 50% of a recipient’s time for research that aligns with PSI Foundation priorities.

With this support, Dr. Burns focused her research time on advancing Sex and Gender Based Analyses (SGBA) in critical care. Over the past four years, she was a co-applicant or principal applicant for 34 grants, including in the Canadian Critical Care Trials Group (CCCTG) Team Grant. Additionally, she was a co-applicant on the Accelerating Clinical Trials (ACT) Canada Consortium grant – a Pan Canadian Clinical Trials Consortium Grant.

During her award period, Dr. Burns’ research activity included 127 publications (14 first authored papers, 18 senior authored papers, and 4 book chapters), 16 abstracts, and 41 presentations. Her contributions were recognized through multiple awards, ranging from the 2024 Margaret Herridge Award from the University of Toronto Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care for advance Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), and the 2023 ATS Recognition Award for Scientific Accomplishments from the American Thoracic Society – Critical Care Assembly.

“This award marries my passion for critical care research and research methodology,” says Dr. Burns. With this award, she strived to enhance the visibility of sex and gender based analyses and to grow the science of sex and gender research in acute care.

Impact of the Funded Study

Dr. Burns’ work has significantly advanced awareness of the need for transparent and consistent reporting of diversity metrics and SGBA in critical care studies. With her CCCTG colleagues, she helped identify core sociodemographic variables for research reporting and co-developed a glossary of sociodemographic determinants of health in critical care medicine.

Her advocacy extends beyond publications to leadership and knowledge translation. As Past President of the Canadian Critical Care Society (CCCS), she co-led the organization’s Equity, Diversity, Decolonization, and Inclusion Policy and supported its dissemination through webinars for CCCS members and trainees across Canada.

Looking ahead, Dr. Burns continues to collaborate with CCCTG, the International Forum of Acute Care Trialists, as well as international critical care societies to strengthen Sex and Gender Based Analyses (SGBA) and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in acute care research.

“The results of these studies are expected to inform policy, improve future study design and reporting, and catalyze secondary analyses of previously published studies,” she says. “Most importantly, this work will build capacity in SGBA and position Canada as a leader in ‘sex and gender science’ in critical care.”