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Faculty Focus - R. Loch Macdonald

R. Loch Macdonald, MD, PhD, FRCSC, FACS

Dr. Macdonald completed his Neurosurgery residency at the University of Toronto, after obtaining his MD degree at the University of British Columbia and PhD in Experimental Surgery at the University of Alberta. Following a clinical fellowship in Toronto, Dr. Macdonald was recruited to the University of Chicago Medical Center in 1993 as an Assistant Professor. He assumed the role of Neurosurgery Residency Program Director from 2000-2003 and was appointed as a Full Professor of Surgery (Neurosurgery) and of Radiation and Cellular Oncology in 2003.  In 2007, Dr. Macdonald was recruited back to Toronto as the Head of the Division of Neurosurgery at St. Michael's Hospital, where he holds the Keenan Endowed Chair in Surgery.

Dr. Macdonald's clinical expertise includes cerebrovascular surgery, intracranial aneurysms and malformations, cerebral arterial bypass surgery, carotid artery disease, brain tumors, neurooncology, spinal vascular malformations and spinal tumors.  He maintains an active research program focused on the basic mechanisms of contraction of vascular smooth muscle by blood and hemoglobin, cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage, mechanisms of intimal proliferation and thrombosis of arteriovenous fistulas.  Dr. Macdonald is currently a Full Professor of Surgery and Member of the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Toronto and a Scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and Keenan Research Center, St. Michael's Hospital.  He is married to Sheilah and has three children, Iain, Robyn and Erin.

Current Appointments

  • Head, Division of Neurosurgery, St. Michael's Hospital
  • Keenan Endowed Chair in Surgery, St. Michael's Hospital
  • Professor of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
  • Scientist, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital
  • Scientist, Keenan Research Center, St. Michael's Hospital
  • Member, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto
  • Adjunct Scientist, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children

Selected Peer-Reviewed Funding

  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), 2012-2013.
    Subarachnoid hemorrhage internatinoal trialists repository.
    PI: Macdonald RL.
    $25,000
  • Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, 2011-2013.
    Endothelial nitric oxide synthase after subarachnoid hemorrhage.
    PI: Macdonald RL.
    $174,718
  • New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology Edison Innovation R&D Fund, 2009-2012.
    Pathophysiology of Parkinson's Disease.
    Co-Is: Macdonald RL, Edge Therapeutics.
    $500,000
  • Brain Aneurysm Foundation, 2011-2012.
    Molecular mechanisms of memory loss following subarachnoid hemorrhage.
    Co-Is: Ai J, Macdonald RL.
    $25,000

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications

  • Ibrahim GM, Macdonald RL. Electrocardiographic Changes Predict Angiographic Vasospasm After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage. Stroke. 2012 Jun 7.
  • Cook DJ, Kan S, Ai J, Kasuya H, Macdonald RL. Cisternal sustained release dihydropyridines for subarachnoid hemorrhage. Curr Neurovasc Res. 2012 May 1;9(2):139-48.
  • Macdonald RL, Higashida RT, Keller E, Mayer SA, Molyneux A, Raabe A, Vajkoczy P, Wanke I, Bach D, Frey A, Nowbakht P, Roux S, Kassell N. Randomized trial of clazosentan in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage undergoing endovascular coiling. Stroke. 2012 Jun;43(6):1463-9.
  • Macdonald RL, Hunsche E, Schüler R, Wlodarczyk J, Mayer SA. Quality of life and healthcare resource use associated with angiographic vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Stroke. 2012 Apr;43(4):1082-8.
  • Schweizer TA, Al-Khindi T, Macdonald RL. Mini-Mental State Examination versus Montreal Cognitive Assessment: rapid assessment tools for cognitive and functional outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. J Neurol Sci. 2012 May 15;316(1-2):137-40.
  • Ibrahim GM, Vachhrajani S, Ilodigwe D, Kassell NF, Mayer SA, Ruefenacht D, Schmiedek P, Weidauer S, Pasqualin A, Macdonald RL. Method of aneurysm treatment does not affect clot clearance after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Neurosurgery. 2012 Jan;70(1):102-9.
  • Macdonald RL, Higashida RT, Keller E, Mayer SA, Molyneux A, Raabe A, Vajkoczy P, Wanke I, Bach D, Frey A, Marr A, Roux S, Kassell N. Clazosentan, an endothelin receptor antagonist, in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage undergoing surgical clipping: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial (CONSCIOUS-2). Lancet Neurol. 2011 Jul;10(7):618-25.
  • Chen G, Tariq A, Ai J, Sabri M, Jeon HJ, Tang EJ, Lakovic K, Wan H, Macdonald RL. Different effects of clazosentan on consequences of subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats. Brain Res. 2011 May 25;1392:132-9.
  • Sabri M, Ai J, Marsden PA, Macdonald RL. Simvastatin re-couples dysfunctional endothelial nitric oxide synthase in experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage. PLoS One. 2011 Feb 23;6(2):e17062.

Selected Professional Activities

  • Chair, Scientific Program Committee, Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation, 2011-12
  • Co-Chair, NIH Stroke Progress Review Group HEMORRHAGE Working Group, 2011
  • Advisory Council for Neurological Surgery, American College of Surgeons, 2010
  • Vice-Chair, Scientific Program Committee, Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation, 2009-11