The Clinical Trials Research Unit at the Bruyère Research Institute (CTRU) runs clinical research aligned with our research strengths. With facilities at the Èlisabeth Bruyère Hospital, the CTRU has the capacity and expertise to run both intervention studies (drug or non-drug) and observational studies.
The CTRU brings expertise into operating and running clinical trials to ensure efficient, accurate, and cost-effective outcomes. These services are perfect for researchers or industry partners who are new to running randomized clinical trials, have limited access to infrastructure needed to run a study, or need support identifying an expert team to deliver results. Consult the CTRU if you will be partnering with industry to run a clinical trial, or if you need assistance with an investigator-led clinical trial.
Bruyère’s CTRU is an active member of Network of Networks (N2), a not-for-profit incorporated organization and an alliance of Canadian research networks and organizations working to enhance national clinical research capability and capacity.
CTRU Staff
The CTRU is staffed by people with decades of knowledge and experience, including Research Operations Managers, Research Managers, Clinical Trials Research Coordinators (CTRC), and Research Nurses who can provide researchers with a “ready to go” team customized to help run their study from concept to completion. The CTRU staff are certified in:
Specialized Facilities and Services
The CTRU has specialized facilities for:
- Venipuncture
- Intravenous drug administration
- Physical examination rooms
Staff have extensive experience working with Health Canada, industry partners, and service vendors, and can provide support in setting up or accessing the resources that are available for conducting clinical trials. Specialized services include:
- Legal and liability reviews for all contracts and service agreements associated with a clinical trial
- Budget development and justification
- Ethics applications
- Tri-council grant applications
- Clinical Trials Applications (CTAs) for drugs and natural health products
- Applications for Medical Device Investigational Testing Authorizations (ITAs)
- Use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) facilities
- Use of other third-party providers such as dermatology, ophthalmology, and pharmacy
Clinical Trials Ontario
Bruyère RI is a participating site in the Clinical Trials Ontario Streamlined System which provides a streamlined approach to research ethics review for multi-center trials and provides resources for industry partners. For additional resources, visit the
Clinical Trials Ontario website.
Industry Partners
Over the past 10 years, Bruyère RI has worked with many industry sponsors to conduct sponsor and investigator driven randomized clinical trials. Bruyère’s partnerships transform care and enhance the lives of the diverse community we serve. To learn more about our approach to industry partnerships, see our
Guiding Principles.
Medical Equipment
The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) Data Collection Center located within the Elisabeth Bruyère Hospital provides researchers with equipment and technology run by experienced data collection staff.
Available equipment geared toward electronic data capture includes:
- Bone densitometer
- Spirometry
- Electrocardiogram
- Retinal scanners
- Tonometer
- Dynamometer
- Ultrasound imaging
Community Interviewers
Researchers interested in community-based data collection can access Bruyère RI’s team of bilingual community-based data collection research assistants. Interviewers have extensive interviewing skills and experience in community-based data collection and are equipped with computers and their own vehicles.
Bruyère RI offers a fully equipped phlebotomy and blood processing and storage laboratory located at the Elisabeth Bruyère Hospital for the collection and handling of blood, urine, or saliva. Additional available procedures include:
- Complete Blood Counts (CBC)
- Serum/plasma separation
- Buffy coat
- Platelets poor plasma (PPP)
- Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)
- Collection of life cells
- Preparation of Gen-Plates
Functioning within a framework of standard operating policies and guidelines from Bruyère, Network of Networks (N2), and Health Canada, the Bruyère RI laboratory is staffed by certified Medical Laboratory Assistants with expertise in venipuncture and clinical research. Staff have training in Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG), Workplace Hazardous Material Information System (WHMIS), Laboratory Management System (LIMS), and are certified annually in laboratory Standard Operating Policies.
All services around sample preparation for shipment within provincial, national, and international borders is provided by staff experienced in shipping samples using nitrogen containment carriers and working with central laboratories.