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Current projects: stay tuned for more!
Current projects: stay tuned for more!
Project: Adoption and enhancement of a care pathway for children with medical complexity: an implementation evaluation project for pediatric tracheostomy
Lead investigator: Maria Castro-Codesal
Synopsis: The DECIDE-T project is developing and evaluating a provincially coordinated digital care pathway for children who require a tracheostomy. The pathway supports families and healthcare teams across the full journey of care, from tracheostomy decision-making and hospitalization through caregiver education, transition home, follow-up, and eventual decannulation. The goal is to improve consistency of care, clinical outcomes, caregiver experience, and healthcare efficiency.
Project: Working with parents to create digital resources to support families of a medically complex child when making decisions related to tracheostomy
Lead investigator: Maria Castro-Codesal
Synopsis: his project partners directly with parents and caregivers to co-develop accessible digital resources for families facing decisions about tracheostomy for their child. The work aims to ensure families receive understandable, relevant, and experience-informed information that supports shared decision-making with their healthcare teams. This project is supported through a WCHRI Innovation Grant from 2025–2027.
Project: Simulation-Enhanced Multimodal Discharge Training for Caregivers of Children with Tracheostomy
Lead investigator: Maria Castro-Codesal
Synopsis: This pilot study is evaluating a multimodal caregiver training program that incorporates simulation into preparation for hospital discharge. The project aims to strengthen caregiver knowledge, practical skills, and confidence in caring for a child with a tracheostomy at home. This is a 2026 University of Alberta Department of Pediatrics Clinical Innovation & Capacity Building project.
Project: Identifying healthcare disparities and needs for children using home ventilation in rural and underserved areas of Western and Northern Canada
Lead investigator: Maria Castro-Codesal
Synopsis: This pilot study is evaluating a multimodal caregiver training program that incorporates simulation into preparation for hospital discharge. The project aims to strengthen caregiver knowledge, practical skills, and confidence in caring for a child with a tracheostomy at home. This is a 2026 University of Alberta Department of Pediatrics Clinical Innovation & Capacity Building project.
Research collaborations
Research collaborations
National integration of patient-reported outcomes and clinical data in rare diseases
National integration of patient-reported outcomes and clinical data in rare diseases
Principal investigator: Reshma Amin
Role: Co-investigator, Maria Castro-Codesal
Synopsis: This national CIHR-funded collaboration is developing a framework to connect patient-reported outcomes with clinical registry information, healthcare utilization, and healthcare costs in rare diseases. The goal is to create a more complete picture of patient outcomes and support better research and health-system decision-making.
A breath of fresh innovation: breath metabolomics in complex pediatric respiratory care
A breath of fresh innovation: breath metabolomics in complex pediatric respiratory care
Principal investigator: Anne Hicks
Role: Co-investigator, Maria Castro-Codesal
Synopsis: This project is exploring breath metabolomics as a non-invasive approach to understanding and monitoring complex respiratory conditions in children. The research may help identify new biomarkers that can improve assessment and personalize respiratory care.
Supporting parents of medically complex children during emergency department visits
Principal investigator: Shannon Scott
Role: Co-investigator, Maria Castro-Codesal
Synopsis: This project works with families to co-create an evidence-based resource for parents and caregivers of medically complex children visiting the emergency department. The goal is to improve communication, preparedness, and the family experience during urgent healthcare encounters.
Canadian Home Mechanical Ventilation Research Network
Principal investigator: Reshma Amin
Role: Co-investigator, Maria Castro-Codesal
Synopsis: The CanHMVr Network brings together researchers and clinicians working in home mechanical ventilation across Canada. The network is building the infrastructure needed for multicentre collaboration, standardized research, and improved evidence for people who depend on long-term ventilation.
Parents' experiences and information needs related to respiratory distress
Principal investigator: Lisa Hartling
Role: Co-investigator, Maria Castro-Codesal
Synopsis: This mixed-methods systematic review examines how parents experience episodes of respiratory distress in their children and what information they need when those events occur. The findings are intended to inform more useful and family-centred healthcare resources and communication.
Canadian Neuromuscular Disease Registry
Principal investigator: Josh Lounsberry
Role: Site co-investigator, Maria Castro-Codesal
Synopsis: The Canadian Neuromuscular Disease Registry supports long-term clinical and observational research across Canada. Dr. Castro-Codesal contributes respiratory expertise and local site participation, helping advance research into the care and outcomes of people living with neuromuscular disease.
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