معرفی
Dr. Najib Ayas is an Associate Professor in the Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. He graduated with distinction from the University of Alberta in 1992, completed Internal Medicine residency at the Mayo Clinic in 1996, and postgraduate training in Respiratory, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School in 2000. He joined the Sleep Disorders Program at UBC in September 2002 and has maintained an active academic career since.
Dr. Ayas received his undergraduate education at the University of Alberta (General Science, 1986-1988), followed by his MD (1988-1992). He completed a Rotating Internship at St Thomas Medical Center in Akron, Ohio (1992-1993), Internal Medicine Residency at Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Rochester, MN (1993-1996), Pulmonary & Critical Care Fellowship at Harvard (1996-2000), and a Master of Public Health from Harvard School of Public Health (2000-2002).
Dr. Ayas's primary research focus centers on the public health and safety consequences of sleep apnea and sleep deprivation. His work spans multiple domains including cardiovascular consequences of sleep disorders, epidemiology of obstructive sleep apnea, development of diagnostic tools, and cost-effectiveness of treatments. He has made significant contributions to understanding how sleep disorders affect occupational safety, cardiovascular health, and overall quality of life. His research often involves interdisciplinary collaborations across sleep medicine, critical care, public health, and epidemiology.
Analysis of Dr. Ayas's recent publications reveals a strong focus on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), particularly its cardiovascular consequences, diagnostic approaches, and treatment effectiveness. His work spans basic science investigating mechanisms like intermittent hypoxia effects on endothelial function, to clinical trials examining CPAP therapy, to large epidemiological studies on OSA prevalence and impact. A notable trend is his increasing focus on special populations including patients with spinal cord injuries, pregnant women, and those with comorbid conditions like COPD. His research maintains a strong translational emphasis, bridging laboratory findings to clinical applications.
- BC Lung Association Career Development Award (2002)
- New Investigator Salary Award, CIHR/BC Lung Association Award (2002-2007)
- Scholar Award, Michael Smith Foundation (2004-2009)
- Established Clinician Scholar Award, VCHRI (2009-2012)
- Award for Clinical Teaching Excellence, Division of Critical Care Medicine UBC (2013)
- Martin Hoffman Award Excellence in Research
As an educator, Dr. Ayas has supervised numerous graduate students including Masters candidates, Doctoral students, and Post-doctoral fellows. His students have pursued research in areas including sleep apnea pathophysiology, cardiovascular consequences of sleep disorders, and clinical applications of sleep medicine. Dr. Ayas has served on multiple grant review panels for organizations including CIHR, Canadian Lung Association, and Michael Smith Foundation, contributing to the evaluation and funding of critical research in respiratory and sleep medicine. He has directed the Respiratory Physiology course (MED560/Path518) at UBC since 2006 and has been instrumental in developing clinical guidelines including the Canadian Thoracic Society and Canadian Sleep Society position paper on obstructive sleep apnea and driving.
