Jane Batt

Biography

Dr. Jane Batt is a Respirologist and Scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital. Her research focuses on delineating the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of skeletal muscle atrophy. In chronic respiratory illness such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, loss of muscle mass significantly decreases quality of life, and increases health resource utilization and costs. In the critically ill patient, Intensive Care Unit acquired weakness and Critical illness myopathy prevent weaning from the ventilator, increase in-hospital mortality and in the long term rob critical illness survivors of functional independence. We lack therapies that can prevent or achieve a sustainable reversal of muscle wasting in these patient populations. Dr. Batt’s research has been consistently funded by several competitive sources including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Ontario Thoracic Society and Physician Services Incorporation. She has served on several hospital and University of Toronto advisory committees including Co-Chair, Division of Respirology Research Day (2008 – 2014) and Chair, Division of Respirology Research Advisory Committee (2014 – present). Dr. Batt’s clinical practice encompasses General Respirology and Tuberculosis. She is the Medical Director of the St Michaels Hospital Tuberculosis Program. Dr. Jane Batt is a Respirologist and Scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital. Her research focuses on delineating the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of skeletal muscle atrophy. In chronic respiratory illness such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, loss of muscle mass significantly decreases quality of life, and increases health resource utilization and costs. In the critically ill patient, Intensive Care Unit acquired weakness and Critical illness myopathy prevent weaning from the ventilator, increase in-hospital mortality and in the long term rob critical illness survivors of functional independence. We lack therapies that can prevent or achieve a sustainable reversal of muscle wasting in these patient populations. Dr. Batt’s research has been consistently funded by several competitive sources including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Ontario Thoracic Society and Physician Services Incorporation. She has served on several hospital and University of Toronto advisory committees including Co-Chair, Division of Respirology Research Day (2008 – 2014) and Chair, Division of Respirology Research Advisory Committee (2014 – present). Dr. Batt’s clinical practice encompasses General Respirology and Tuberculosis. She is the Medical Director of the St Michaels Hospital Tuberculosis Program.

Research Interest

Her research program i) studies molecular biology and signaling networks regulating muscle wasting in tissue culture and rodent models, with the aim of identifying novel mediators of atrophy and ii) evaluates the activity of signaling networks and biologic processes identified as being key regulators of muscle atrophy, in human disease.