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Faculty Focus - James Drake

James Drake, MSc, MBBCh, FRCSC

Dr. James Drake is a Professor of Surgery, Division Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery at the Hospital for Sick Children and holds the Harold Hoffman Shoppers Drug Mart Chair. He is a Senior Associate Scientist in the Sickkids Research Institute, leads the Centre of Image Guided Innovation and Therapeutic Intervention (CIGITI) and is co-lead of the Centre of Excellence in Image Guided Care. He is also Co-Director of the Centre of Mathematical Medicine at the Fields Institute at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Drake’s primary research and clinical interests relate to engineering applications to neurosurgery including hydrocephalus, image guided surgery and robotics. This encompasses the main themes of CIGITI which are broadened to include applications of imaging, robotics and simulation for all pediatric surgical disciplines. Dr. Drake has over 230 peer-reviewed publications, holds major grants from CIHR/NSERC and Brain Canada. His clinical interests relate to the investigation and management of hydrocephalus including the use of endoscopy, image guided surgery for brain tumours and epilepsy, and the management of complex spinal disorders.

Current Appointments

  • Harold J. Hoffman/Shoppers Drug Mart Chair, Hospital for Sick Children
  • Head, Division of Neurosurgery, Hospital for Sick Children
  • Professor, Departments of Surgery and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto
  • Director, Image Guided Innovation and Therapeutic Intervention (CIGITI)
  • Co-Lead, The Center of Image Guided Care, Centres of Excellence, Hospital for Sick Children
  • Co-Director, Centre of Mathematical Medicine, Fields Institute, University of Toronto
  • Director, American Board of Pediatric Neurosurgery

Selected Peer-Reviewed Funding

  • Brain Canada, 2014-2017.
    Non-invasive treatment of paediatric neurological disorders using MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS)
    PI: Drake JM.
    $1,500,000
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), 2013-2016.
    Temperature measurement in cortical bone and bone marrow during magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound thermothoerapy in a porcine model
    PI: Drake JM.
    $450,000
  • Physicians Services Incorporated Foundation, 2013-2015.
    Physicians’ Services Incorporated Foundation Mathematical optimization of pediatric cranial vault remodeling and robotic CO2 etching of skull contours
    PI: Drake JM.
    $169,000
  • MaRS Innovation, 2012-2014.
    Anastomosis Tool Kit.
    PI: Drake JM.
    $85,000
  • Garron Family Cancer Centre, SickKids, 2012-2013.
    Temperature measurement in cortical bone marrow during magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound thermothoerapy in a porcine model.
    PI: Drake JM.
    $50,000
  • Neuroscience Mental Health Centre, 2012-2013
    MRgFUS for intraventricular hemorrhage of prematurity.
    PI: Andrew James. Collaborator: Looi T and Drake JM.
    $39,580
  • Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE), 2012-2013.
    Pneumatic Otoscopy.
    PI: Drake JM.
    $25,000
  • Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE), 2012.
    Optosim.
    PI: Drake JM.
    $25,000
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), 2012-2013
    Temperature measurement in cortical bone and bone marrow during magnetic resonance of guided focused ultrasound thermothoerapy in a porcine model.
    PI: Drake JM.
    $450,000

Selected Publications

  • Zeller R, Canavese F, Kulkarni AV, Drake JM.Technique for drilling instrument monitoring electrical conductivity in pediatric cervical spine screw insertion: a preliminary report. J Pediatr Orthop. 2009 Oct-Nov;29(7):760-4.
  • Al-Tamimi YZ, Sinha P, Chumas PD, Crimmins D, Drake JM, Kestle J; British Pediatric Neurosurgery Group Audit Committee, Hayward R, Solanki GA, Thomson S, Thorne J. Ventriculoperitoneal shunt 30-day failure rate: a retrospective international cohort study. Neurosurgery. 2014 Jan;74(1):29-34.
  • Khechoyan DY, Saber NR, Burge J, Fattah A, Drake JM, Forrest CR, Phillips JH.Surgical outcomes in craniosynostosis reconstruction: the use of prefabricated templates in cranial vault remodelling. J J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2014 Jan;67(1):9-16.
  • Lim ME, Bowen JM, Snead OC 3rd, Elliott I, Donner E, Weiss SK, Otsubo H, Ochi A, Drake JM, Rutka JT, Worster A, Hopkins RB, Goeree R, Tarride JE. Access to surgery for paediatric patients with medically refractory epilepsy: a systems analysis. Epilepsy Res. 2013 Dec;107(3):286-96.
  • Whitehead WE, Riva-Cambrin J, Wellons JC 3rd, Kulkarni AV, Holubkov R, Illner A, Oakes WJ, Luerssen TG, Walker ML, Drake JM, Kestle JR; for the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network. No significant improvement in the rate of accurate ventricular catheter location using ultrasound-guided CSF shunt insertion: a prospective, controlled study by the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2013 Oct 11.
  • Kulkarni AV, Riva-Cambrin J, Butler J, Browd SR, Drake JM, Holubkov R, Kestle JR, Limbrick DD, Simon TD, Tamber MS, Wellons JC 3rd, Whitehead WE; Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network.Outcomes of CSF shunting in children: comparison of Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network cohort with historical controls: clinical article. J Neurosurg Pediatr.2013 Oct;12(4):334-8.
  • Al-Ahmed IH, Boughamoura M, Dirks P, Kulkarni AV, Rutka JT, Drake JM.Neurosurgical management of neurenteric cysts in children .J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2013 May;11(5):511-7.
  • Ibrahim GM, Fallah A, Snead OC 3rd, Drake JM, Rutka JT, Bernstein M. The use of high frequency oscillations to guide neocortical resections in children with medically-intractable epilepsy: how do we ethically apply surgical innovations to patient care? Seizure. 2012 Dec;21(10):743-7.
  • Drake JM, Singhal A, Kulkarni AV, DeVeber G, Cochrane DD; Canadian Pediatric Neurosurgery Study Group. Consensus definitions of complications for accurate recording and comparisons of surgical outcomes in pediatric neurosurgery. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2012 Aug;10(2):89-95.
  • Ellis MJ, Armstrong D, Vachhrajani S, Kulkarni AV, Dirks PB, Drake JM, Smith ER, Scott RM, Orbach DB.Angioarchitectural features associated with hemorrhagic presentation in pediatric cerebral arteriovenous malformations.J Neurointerv Surg. 2013 May;5(3):191-5.
  • Ibrahim GM, Barry BW, Fallah A, Snead OC 3rd, Drake JM, Rutka JT, Bernstein M. Inequities in access to pediatric epilepsy surgery: a bioethical framework. Neurosurg Focus.2012 Mar;32(3)
  • Beier AD, Vachhrajani S, Bayerl SH, Aguilar CY, Lamberti-Pasculli M, Drake JM.Rotatory subluxation: experience from the Hospital for Sick Children. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2012 Feb;9(2):144-8.
  • Ibrahim GM, Fallah A, Albert GW, Withers T, Otsubo H, Ochi A, Akiyama T, Donner EJ, Weiss S, Snead OC 3rd, Drake JM, Rutka JT. Occipital lobe epilepsy in children: characterization, evaluation and surgical outcomes. Epilepsy Res.2012 May;99(3):335-45.
  • Ibrahim GM, Fallah A, Snead OC 3rd, Elliott I, Drake JM, Bernstein M, Rutka JT. Ethical issues in surgical decision making concerning children with medically intractable epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav. 2011 Oct;22(2):154-7
  • Akiyama T, Osada M, Isowa M, Go CY, Ochi A, Elliott IM, Akiyama M, Snead OC 3rd, Rutka JT, Drake JM, Otsubo H.High kurtosis of intracranial electroencephalogram as a marker of ictogenicity in pediatric epilepsy surgery.  Clin Neurophysiol. 2012 Jan;123(1):93-9.

Selected Conference Proceedings

  • MR Ambacher, T Looi, C Mougenot, AC Waspe, S Pichardo, and JM Drake. Characterization Of The Acoustic Properties Of A Pediatric Skull Using A Clinical MR-Guided High Intensity Focused Ultrasound System. International Society of Therapeutic Ultrasound. April 2014.
  • TJ Hudson, T Looi, AC Waspe, S Pichardo, and JM Drake. Simulating Thermal Effects Of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound In Cortical Bone And Its Surrounding Tissue. International Society of Therapeutic Ultrasound. April 2014.
  • NR Saber, V Menon, JC St-Pierre, T Looi, and JM Drake, and X Cyril. Development of a Patient-Specific Surgical Simulator for Pediatric Laparoscopic Procedures. Medicine Meets Virtual Reality NextMed/MMVR21 Conference. Manhattan Beach, CA. 20-22 February, 2014.
  • NR Saber, MA Cachia, C Forrest and JM Drake. Prediction of Cranial Shape from 3D Facial Photogrammetry: Initial Experience. 27th International Congress and Exhibition, Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery (CARS). Heidelberg, Germany, 26-29 June, 2013.
  • T Looi , AC Waspe, C Mougenot, J Amaral, M Temple, K Hynynen, and JM Drake. Porcine pilot study of MRI-guided HIFU treatment for neonatal intraventricular hemmorrhage. 12th International Symposium on Therapeutic Ultrasound (ISTU. Heidelberg, Germany. June, 2012.
  • AC Waspe, T Looi , C Mougenot, J Amaral, M Temple, S Sivaloganathan, and JM Drake. Dynamic T2-mapping during magnetic resonance guided high intensity focused ultrasound ablation of bone marrow. 12th International Symposium on Therapeutic Ultrasound (ISTU). Heidelberg, Germany. June, 2012.
  • J Burge, NR Saber, D Khechoyan, JM Drake, and J Phillips. The Use of Prefabricated Templates in Cranial Vault Remodeling. 26th International Congress and Exhibition, Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery (CARS). Pisa, Italy. 27-30 June 2012.
  • CL Cheunga, T Looi, JM Drake, and PC Kim. Magnetic resonance imaging properties of multimodality anthropomorphic silicone rubber phantoms for validating surgical robots and image guided therapy systems. Society of Photonics Imaging Electronics. San Diego, CA. January, 2012.
  • Huang et al. 3D Curve Constrained Deformable Registration Using A Neuro-Fuzzy Transformation Model. Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference Management System. San Diego, CA. January 2012.