Marek Smieja

, MD, PhD, FRCPC

Associate Professor, Pathology and Molecular Medicine

Division: Clinical Pathology (Microbiology)

Residency Research Coordinator, Medical Microbiology

Associate Member, Medicine
Associate Member, Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics
Microbiologist & Infectious Diseases Physician

St. Joseph's Healthcare
L-424, St. Luke's Wing
Hamilton, Ontario
905-521-6143
smiejam@mcmaster.ca

Assistant: Rita Taraschi ext.36143

Currently accepting HRM Graduate Students
Currently accepting Post-Doctoral Fellows

Education and Professional Standing

• PhD Clinical Health Sciences (Health Research Methodology), McMaster University, 2002
• FRCPC Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, McMaster University, 1998
• MSc Clinical Health Sciences (Health Research Methodology), McMaster University, 1997
• MD, University of Western Ontario, 1987

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Interests

Research Focus

My primary research interests are in the role of infections in respiratory and cardiac diseases. I lead the CIHR-sponsored Canadian HIV Vascular Study, a multi-centre cohort study assessing the relationships between HIV medications, metabolic abnormalities, and vascular disease among HIV-positive subjects. I am co-chair of the Clinical Working Group of the OHTN Cohort Study, and chair a working group creating guidelines for cardiovascular risk assessment in HIV patients.

I am a member of the Canadian Pandemic Influenza Laboratory Preparedness Network, and co-principal investigator (with Dr. Astrid Petrich) of a CIHR-sponsored multi-laboratory study of rapid influenza molecular diagnostics. I am involved in the design and improvement of pre-analytic, analytic, and post-analytic aspects of respiratory virus testing.

My research website may be accessed at: http://mcflustudy.csu.mcmaster.ca/

Clinical Focus

My clinical focus encompasses infectious disease and HIV care. 

Academic Interests

I currently teach in the post-graduate Residency Program in Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. I also teach graduate students in Health Research Methodology and Supervision.

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Team Members

Research Team

• Dawn Elston
• Sue Carruthers

Graduate Students

• Qu Cui (PhD)
• Geoffrey So (MSc)
• Hal Huff (MSc)
• Allyson Ion (MSc)
• Lisa Bahn (MSc)
• Emma Goodall (MSc)

Selected Publications

• Odueyungbo A, Smieja M, Thabane L, Smaill F, Gough K, Gill J, Anderson T, Elston D, Smith S, Beyene J, Lonn E.  Comparison of brachial and carotid artery ultrasound for assessing extent of subclinical atherosclerosis in HIV: a prospective cohort study. AIDS Res. Ther. 2009 Jun 11; 6:11.
• Mahony JB, Hatchette T, Ojkic D, Drews SJ, Gubbay J, Low DE, Petric M, Tang P, Chong S, Luinstra K, Petrich A, Smieja M.  Multiplex PCR tests sentinel the appearance of pandemic influenza viruses including H1N1 swine influenza. J Clin Virol. 2009 Jul; 45(3): 200-2.
• Lamontagne F, Garant M-P, Carvalho J-C, Lanthier L, Smieja M, Pilon D. Pneumococcal Vaccination and Myocardial Infarct Risk. CMAJ 2008: 179:773-7.
• Friis-Møller N, Smieja M, Klein D. Antiretroviral Therapy as a Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor - Fact or Fiction? A review of clinical and surrogate outcome studies. Current Opinion in HIV and AIDS 2008: 3(3):220-225.
• Currier JS, Lundgren JE, Carr A, Klein D, Sabin CA, Sax PE, Schouten JT, Smieja M for Working Group 2. Epidemiological Evidence for Cardiovascular Disease in HIV-Infected Patients and Relationship to Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy. Circulation 2008: 118(2):e29-35.
• Daley P, Castriciano S, Chernesky M, Smieja M. Comparison of Flocked and Rayon Swabs for Collection of Respiratory Epithelial Cells From Uninfected Volunteers and Symptomatic Patients. J Clin Microbiol 2006; 44:2265-7.
• Smieja M, Gnarpe J, Lonn E, Gnarpe H, Olsson G, Yi Q, Dzavik V, McQueen M, Yusuf S for the HOPE study investigators. Multiple infections and subsequent cardiovascular events in the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE) Study. Circulation 2003; 107(2):251-257.
• Smieja M, Mahony JB, Petrich A, Boman J, Chernesky M. Association of Circulating Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA with Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review. BMC Infectious Diseases: 2002; 2:21.

Book Chapters

• Loeb M, Smaill FM, Smieja M (editors). Evidence-based Infectious Diseases, Second Edition.  Wiley-Blackwell (BMJ Books), Chichester U.K. 2009.  324 pages.