James McCully, BA 75, BSc 78

James Donald McCully earned a BA in Political Science in 1975 and a BSc in Biophysical Education in 1978 from Concordia. He continued on to graduate studies and earned a Ph.D. in Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Banting Institute at the University of Toronto. 

Following graduation, Dr. McCully completed a two-year medical fellowship residency in Clinical Biochemistry and Human Genetics at the Toronto University Health Network. In 1991 he was recruited to Harvard Medical School and the New England Deaconess Hospital, where he served as Director of Cardiothoracic Surgical Research.

Dr. McCully’s lab focuses on the elucidation of the mechanisms and biochemical and molecular events contributing to myocardial cell death. His research has led to the development of mitochondrial transplantation, a novel procedure that has been described as a disruptive and innovative new therapy for a variety of medical interventions.

In 2014, Dr. McCully moved to Boston Children’s Hospital, where he applied his mitochondrial transplantation research to rescuing pediatric patients who were unable to recover from cardiogenic shock after ischemia-reperfusion injury. His studies are now being expanded for treatment of stroke, genetic eye and muscle disease and organ preservation and transplantation in adults and children.

Dr. McCully has spoken at scientific and medical conferences around the world and his lab has established collaborations in Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Sweden, Turkey, Australia and across the United States.