Mayson Sousa, PhD

Research summary

Dr. Sousa’s research aims to advance the understanding of respiratory physiology and develop innovative strategies to optimize mechanical ventilation, with the goal of improving outcomes for patients with respiratory failure. His work bridges basic science and clinical practice, focusing on key topics such as ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI), patient-ventilator interaction, and ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction (VIDD).

Dr. Sousa is an expert in advanced respiratory monitoring techniques for critically ill patients, including electrical impedance tomography (EIT) and esophageal pressure measurements, which are essential tools for tailoring individualized mechanical ventilation strategies. 
In addition to his work in respiratory physiology, Dr. Sousa’s research extends to health professionals education and telehealth. He is committed to fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion while improving the quality of life for patients, healthcare providers, and healthcare students.

Research themes

• Critical care
• Health professionals education
• Mechanical ventilation

Keywords

• Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
• Advanced respiratory monitoring technologies
• Large animal models of lung injury
• Long-term outcomes
• Mechanical ventilation
• Patient-ventilator interaction
• Respiratory physiology

Dr. Mayson Sousa is an assistant professor in the Department of Respiratory Therapy at the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba. A dedicated cardiopulmonary physical therapist with over a decade of expertise in respiratory physiology, mechanical ventilation, and ARDS management, Dr. Sousa combines a robust clinical and academic background with a passion for advancing patient care and education.

Born and raised in Brazil, Dr. Sousa earned his bachelor’s degree in physiotherapy following a five-year program at the State University of Piaui. He subsequently completed a one-year, full-time clinical fellowship in cardiopulmonary physical therapy at the Heart Institute (InCor), University of Sao Paulo, where he gained extensive hands-on experience managing patients with complex cardiopulmonary diseases. During this time, Dr. Sousa developed a deep interest in research and education, which led him to pursue and complete a doctoral degree in sciences (pneumonology) from the University of Sao Paulo in 2019.

Dr. Sousa further refined his expertise through a post-doctoral fellowship in critical care and translational medicine at the University of Toronto (2021-2023). During this fellowship, he co-led experimental studies, mentored research fellows, and collaborated on innovative approaches to improve outcomes for critically ill patients.

In addition to his research, Dr. Sousa is deeply committed to medical education. Throughout his career, he has been actively involved in teaching and mentoring, including developing knowledge assessment tools, supervising postgraduate students, and supporting interdisciplinary training initiatives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he contributed to the development of online training programs for healthcare workers and national recommendations.

Education

Postdoctoral Fellowship, Critical Care Medicine and Translational Medicine, University of Toronto (2021-2023)

Doctor of Philosophy in Sciences, Pneumology, University of Sao Paulo (2016-2019)

Specialization (Clinical Fellowship) in Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy, University of Sao Paulo (2012-2013)

Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy, State University of Piaui (2007-2011)

Awards

MECOR Graduate Scholarship Award, American Thoracic Society (ATS) Conference, Dallas, Texas (2019)

MECOR Graduate Scholarship Award, American Thoracic Society (ATS) Conference, San Diego, California (2018)