The familiar faces behind thirty years of research.
HMRG is led by clinicians who practice in the community they research. Founder and Principal Investigator Dr. Richard Tytus, six investigators, and a dedicated clinical operations team — together responsible for every study from feasibility through close-out.
Dr. Richard Tytus
Dr. Richard Tytus, BSc.Phm, MD, CCFP, FCFP, is a family physician who has practiced in Hamilton, Ontario for over 30 years. He is the founder and Principal Investigator of Hamilton Medical Research Group, where he leads a team of clinical research professionals in the conduct of pharmaceutical-sponsored clinical trials.
An Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct) in the Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University, Dr. Tytus has held leadership roles across Canadian medicine, authored national clinical practice guidelines, and is a published researcher in clinical drug investigation.
- Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct), Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University (1996–Present)
- Chair, District 4, Ontario Medical Association (Current)
- Member, CMA/CFPC/Royal College Virtual Care Task Force (2019–Present)
- Board Director, Canadian Medical Association (2017–2020)
- Board Director, Ontario Medical Association (2011–2017, 2018–2021)
- Former Chair, OntarioMD (2012–2017)
- President, Hamilton Academy of Medicine (2009–2010)
- CMA & OMA Life Membership Awards (2020)
- 2012 Ontario Family Physician of the Year (OCFP)
- Author, Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines
Investigators
Dr. Dustin Ritchie
A University of Alberta medical graduate practicing family medicine in Hamilton, Dr. Ritchie provides primary care continuity and hands-on diagnostic capability to HMRG's trial participants through his co-located practice at Steel City Medical.
Dr. Dennis DiValentino
A Flinders University-trained physician and Assistant Clinical Professor at McMaster, Dr. DiValentino is past President of the Hamilton Academy of Medicine and a 2017 CMA Joule Award recipient for innovation in telemedicine for underserved communities. His chronic pain management expertise and published surgical research background strengthen HMRG's multi-therapeutic trial capacity.
Dr. Joanna Jarecki
A University of Toronto-trained psychiatrist and Assistant Clinical Professor at McMaster, Dr. Jarecki specializes in mood disorders, ADHD, and perinatal mental health. A member of the CREST.BD research team and published in Academic Psychiatry, she brings specialist-level assessment expertise to HMRG's CNS and psychiatric trial portfolio.
Dr. Stephen Tytus
With an engineering background and family medicine training at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Dr. Tytus brings an analytical, systems-oriented approach to clinical trial execution. His focus on metabolic disease and community-based primary care supports HMRG's endocrinology and cardiometabolic research programs.
Dr. Walter Owsianik
A Queen's University medical graduate and Assistant Clinical Professor at McMaster, Dr. Owsianik earned his Diploma in Tropical Medicine from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and has served as a Royal Canadian Navy Medical Officer with a tour of duty in Afghanistan. The founder of Hamilton's Travel Doctor clinic and trained in mountain and diving medicine, he brings over four decades of diverse clinical experience to HMRG's investigator team.
Laura Rusu-Myers
A registered nurse who returned to graduate school for her MSc and Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner designation, Laura brings the full scope of NP practice to HMRG's protocols — independent clinical assessment, ongoing participant safety monitoring, and the disciplined documentation trial data depends on. Her background in community family practice and virtual care grounds that work in continuity of care.
Clinical & Site Operations
Rodney Butt
Joe Ding
Samir Seif
Christina Shamshoom
Marc Tytus
Ana Walber
