Marie Wright

MRCPCH, MBChB, FRCPC, MD

Investigator, BC Children's Hospital
Physician, Division of Respiratory Medicine, BC Children's Hospital
Director, Home Tracheostomy and Ventilation (HTV) Program, BC Children's Hospital
Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia

I am a pediatric respirologist with an interest in clinical research and quality improvement, and director of the BCCH Home Tracheostomy and Ventilation (HTV) clinic.

My clinical work is based in the HTV, sleep, and rare lung diseases clinics, as well as inpatient care of babies and children with a wide range of acute and chronic respiratory disorders.

My postgraduate research studies (Doctor of Research, MD(Res), University College London / Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health) focused on children born with Pierre Robin sequence, and how optimal health outcomes can be achieved through different approaches to management of airway obstruction.

My current main areas of research interest include respiratory management and long-term outcomes of children with neuromuscular disorders (including spinal muscular atrophy and Duchenne muscular dystrophy) and prematurity-related lung disease (bronchopulmonary dysplasia). Examples of my quality improvement work include delivering care to HTV patients outside of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and improving the transition of HTV patients from Pediatric to adult medical services.

I have expertise in a range of study methodologies including systematic reviews and meta-analysis, active surveillance studies and reporting card systems, prospective and retrospective observational studies, and qualitative research. I have also received formal training in quality improvement methodology through the PHSA Physician Quality Improvement training program (2022-23 cohort).

I am a strong advocate of collaborative and team-based research, and have led multi-center research studies both in Canada and the UK, as well as mentoring allied health colleagues, trainees and medical students who have a desire to participate in clinical research.

My passion for clinical research is based on a desire to better understand the causes and long-term outcomes of lung and airway diseases affecting children, particularly those that are rare, complex, or under-studied. My quality improvement work is perhaps even more rewarding because it enables us to identify barriers to delivering excellent clinical care and to quickly implement sustainable and patient-focused changes.