Ognjen Gajic

Ognjen Gajic, M.D., M.Sc., is a Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science in Rochester, Minnesota. He holds primary and joint appointments in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, and Division of Health Care Policy & Research. His clinical and research expertise lies in critical care medicine, with a focus on acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), mechanical ventilation, and clinical informatics.

Education:

• M.D., University of Sarajevo (1987)
• Resident, Pediatric Surgery, Sarajevo University Clinical Center
• Visiting Fellow, Pediatric Surgery, Brown University Medical School
• Resident & Chief Resident, Internal Medicine, New York Methodist Hospital
• Fellow, Critical Care & Pulmonary Critical Care, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science
• M.Sc., Clinical Research, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science
• Research Fellowship, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic

Research Interests:

Dr. Gajic's research centers on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and management of critical care syndromes, particularly acute lung injury, ARDS, and multiorgan dysfunction. He leverages clinical informatics, simulation modeling, and implementation science to improve health care delivery and patient outcomes. His METRIC-ePM Laboratory (Multidisciplinary Epidemiology and Translational Research in Intensive Care, Emergency, and Perioperative Medicine) is dedicated to evaluating critical illness trajectories and implementing best practices globally.

He has led major international initiatives such as the CERTAIN (Checklist for Early Recognition and Treatment of Acute Illness and iNjury) and VIRUS (Viral Infection and Respiratory Illness Universal Study) projects, which aim to standardize and improve critical care processes worldwide.

Scientific Awards & Honors:

• CHEST 2021 Roger C. Bone Memorial Lecture in Critical Care
• Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development Outstanding International Faculty Award (2020)
• SCCM Star Research Achievement Award (2019)
• SCCM Presidential Citation (2018)
• Distinguished Scholar, The CHEST Foundation (2015)
• Fellow, American College of Critical Care Medicine (2012)
• Outstanding Investigator, Department of Internal Medicine (2012)
• Distinguished Mentor Award, Mayo Clinic Center for Translational Science Activities (2008)
• Best Abstract Award, International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (2007)
• Hasan Brkic Award for Outstanding Achievement in Medical School (1987)

Leadership & Service:

Dr. Gajic has held numerous leadership roles, including Chair of the Discovery, Critical Care Research Network for the Society of Critical Care Medicine (2017–2019), Director of the US Critical Illness and Injury Trials Group (NIH), and member of steering committees for ARDS Network and SCCM. He is a Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians (FCCP) and the American College of Critical Care Medicine (FCCM).

Grants & Funding:

He has been a principal or co-principal investigator on major NIH and NSF grants, including:

• ARREST Pneumonia (NHLBI): Investigating beta-agonists for pneumonia-related respiratory failure
• PROOFCheck (NHLBI): Preventing severe acute respiratory failure
• Causal AI Digital Twin Framework (NSF): Transforming ICU care delivery using AI

Laboratory & Team:

Dr. Gajic leads the METRIC-ePM Laboratory at Mayo Clinic, which integrates data science, clinical informatics, and translational research to improve critical care outcomes. The lab collaborates globally and has developed decision-support tools implemented in hospitals worldwide.