Sonny Dhanani

Dr. Sonny Dhanani is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada.  Dr. Dhanani received degrees in pharmaceutical sciences and medicine form the University of British Columbia in 1998. He completed his residency in pediatric and fellowship in pediatric critical care medicine at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto in 2002 and further trained at the Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital in London, UK. 

He is the chief of the pediatric intensive care unit at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) in Ottawa and Associate Professor (Pediatrics) at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Dhanani’s work as an intensivist in Pediatric Critical Care has been recognized by awards granted by several organizations including, the University of Ottawa, the Canadian Critical Care Forum, the Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses, and CHEO.

He is the current co-chair of the provincial Pediatric Critical Care Advisory Committee. He has previously been the Chief Medical Officer - donation and also Medical Lead for Research for Trillium Gift of Life, Ontario’s organ procurement organization. He is now the Chair of the Canadian Donation Physician Network, and is Chair of Canadian Blood Services’ national Deceased Donation Advisory Committee. Dr. Dhanani is Associate Director for donation research for the Canadian Donation and Transplant Research Program.

In addition to his work as an intensivist, Dr. Sonny Dhanani has received significant funding from research organizations such as Physicians Services Incorporated Foundation (PSI), Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM), and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). His own area of focus is leading international research pertaining to practices and standards for determining death after cardiac arrest for the purposes of donation. In recognition of his work Dr. Dhanani has been invited to give presentations at national and international forums.

Dr. Dhanani’s research work can be found in New England Journal of Medicine, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Canadian Medical Association Journal, and Critical Care Medicine. His work has led to multiple education protocols, and e-books such as Organ Donation in Ontario: A Guide for Critical Care Residents.