Lakeridge Health turns Bedside Questions into Nationally Recognized Research

OSHAWA, October 30, 2026 – A question that began at the bedside within critical care at Lakeridge Health is now driving research across multiple hospitals with new funding helping more Durham Region patients take part.

The J.P. Bickell Foundation has awarded a $50,000 Medical Research Grant to support Lakeridge Health’s Adjunctive Methylene Blue in Septic Shock (BLUSH) study. The award builds on a recently announced $543,150 Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) grant, ranked among the top 10 per cent of applications nationwide.

Supported by the Canadian Critical Care Trials Group (CCCTG), BLUSH is expanding into a multi-centre clinical trial involving hospitals across Ontario in early 2027, with the potential to include additional sites across Canada. Lakeridge Health researchers will examine whether adding methylene blue, an existing medication, to usual treatment can improve outcomes for patients with septic shock, a life-threatening condition caused by severe infection.

The work began with a question about how to improve care for critically ill patients. Seed funding from Ajax Pickering Foundation and Lakeridge Health Foundation through the Research & Education Fund in 2024 helped the team develop the initial pilot. That early investment helped a local idea grow into a nationally recognized research program.

“At Lakeridge Health, physicians have the opportunity to ask important questions and lead work that could shape care far beyond our organization,” said Dr. Shannon Fernando, Critical Care physician and Research Lead for Critical Care and BLUSH Principal Investigator. “I’m proud that Lakeridge Health is a place where those questions are encouraged and our teams are supported to pursue answers. Seeing an idea that began at the bedside grow into a trial across multiple hospitals is incredibly rewarding. What matters most is the possibility that this work could make a difference for critically ill patients and their families, here in Durham Region and potentially across Canada.” 

BLUSH is unique in that it is a Health Canada-approved, investigator-led randomized critical care trial launched from a Canadian community hospital site. It is part of a growing critical care research program at participating in national and international clinical trials, supported by collaborative teams and academic partnerships.

Dr. Fernando led the successful application with co-Principal Investigator Dr. Karim Soliman. The additional funding will enable more Lakeridge Health patients to participate in the study.

“Embedding research in a community hospital connects the questions we study with the needs of the people we serve,” said Dr. Karim Soliman, Critical Care physician. “It also creates opportunities for physicians, staff and learners to learn together, challenge assumptions and bring new knowledge into care. As Durham Region grows, nurturing that culture of inquiry helps us advance education and research in ways that respond to our community.”

This work brings Lakeridge Health’s “Leading Education & Research” strategic pillar to life: advancing knowledge, embedding community-based research and cultivating a culture where asking questions is part of everyday care.

“BLUSH shows what is possible when we back our teams’ ideas with investment and partnership,” said Dr. Randy Wax, Chief of Staff, Lakeridge Health. “This is our vision of One System. Best Health. in action: a question from our bedside bringing hospitals together to find answers that could improve critical care across Canada.”

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About Lakeridge Health  

Lakeridge Health is one of Ontario’s largest community health systems, serving Durham Region and beyond through five hospitals, a same-day surgical centre, a long-term care home and more than 30 community locations. Guided by its vision, One System. Best Health., Lakeridge Health provides a broad range of acute, ambulatory, community and specialized services, while advancing education, research and partnerships that connect care across the region. Learn more at lh.ca.

For more information, contact:

Strategic Communications Media 

communications@lh.ca