Dr. Diana Morales | Deep Learning | Best Researcher Award

Critical Care Fellow | University of Toronto | Canada

Dr. Diana Morales Castro, MD, MSc, is a renowned Costa Rican physician specializing in critical care medicine, echocardiography, and perioperative medicine. Currently serving as an Adult Critical Care Senior International Fellow at Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, and University of Toronto, Dr. Morales Castro has an extensive academic and clinical background. With advanced training in critical care, anesthesiology, and echocardiography, her expertise has been shaped by prestigious fellowships and master’s programs in various global institutions, including the University of Toronto and University College London. She has contributed significantly to research in pharmacokinetics, critical care, and echocardiography, publishing in esteemed medical journals. Her dedication to education is evidenced by her role as a mentor for the European Diploma in Advanced Critical Care Echocardiography.

Profile

Scholar

Education

Dr. Morales Castro’s educational background is rooted in excellence and dedication to advancing medical knowledge. She graduated with a Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Costa Rica in 2011, followed by a Specialty in Anesthesiology and Recovery in 2015 from the same institution. Seeking to deepen her knowledge in critical care, she completed a Master in Perioperative Medicine at University College London in 2018. Her journey continued with a series of fellowships, including the Adult Critical Care Medicine Fellowship and Adult Critical Care Echocardiography Fellowship at the University of Toronto in 2018 and 2020, respectively. Dr. Morales Castro further expanded her expertise by pursuing a Master in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Toronto, which she is expected to complete in 2024.

Experience

Dr. Morales Castro’s clinical experience spans across several high-profile institutions in Costa Rica and Canada. She began her career as a General Physician at the El Caoba EBAIS in Costa Rica, where she served in mandatory social service. She then advanced to become an Attending Anesthesiologist at Trauma Hospital and Hospital Calderón Guardia, before further specializing in adult critical care at the University of Toronto. Her role as an Attending Intensivist at the National Transplant and ECMO Center in Costa Rica was a significant milestone, where she provided critical care to patients undergoing complex treatments like ECMO. Currently, she balances her work as an attending physician with her position as a mentor for advanced critical care echocardiography at the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine.

Research Interests

Dr. Morales Castro’s research primarily focuses on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in critically ill patients, particularly those undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Her work delves into optimizing sedative and anesthetic pharmacokinetics during critical illness and exploring the role of therapeutic drug monitoring for drugs like propofol and fentanyl in patients on ECMO. She also investigates the impact of echocardiography and ultrasound techniques in the management of critically ill patients, with a special interest in COVID-19-related complications. Her work not only contributes to improving clinical outcomes but also advances the education of healthcare providers through innovative teaching methods like self-learning videos in transthoracic echocardiography.

Awards

Dr. Morales Castro has received numerous accolades throughout her career, recognizing her excellence in research, education, and clinical care. She was awarded the 2023 Allan Spanier Award for the best education study on simulator-based echocardiography training. In 2022, she received the MD Program Teaching Award of Excellence from the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. Her dedication during the COVID-19 pandemic was recognized with a certificate from the Costa Rican Social Security. Further demonstrating her academic prowess, she received honors for her master’s degree in perioperative medicine from University College London in 2019 and honors for her specialty in anesthesiology from the University of Costa Rica in 2015.

Publications

Dr. Morales Castro has authored several impactful publications in leading medical journals, reflecting her research contributions in critical care and pharmacokinetics. Key publications include:

Morales Castro D, Wong I, Panisko D, Najeeb U, Douflé G. Self-Learning Videos in Focused Transthoracic Echocardiography Training. Clin Teach. 2025 Feb;22(1):e70014.

Morales Castro D, Balzani E, Abdul-Aziz MH, et al. Propofol and Fentanyl Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation. Annals of the American Thoracic Society. 2025;22(1):121-9.

Morales Castro D, Granton J, Fan E. Ceftobiprole and Cefiderocol for Patients on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: The Role of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring. Current Drug Metabolism. 2024;25:1-5.

Morales Castro D, Ferreyro B.L., McAlpine D, et al. Echocardiographic Findings in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients Treated with and Without ECMO. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2024.

Douflé G, Dragoi L, Morales Castro D, et al. Head-to-Toe Bedside Ultrasound for ECMO Patients. Intensive Care Med. 2024.

Morales Castro D, Dresser L, Granton J, Fan E. Pharmacokinetic Alterations in Critical Illness. Clin Pharmacokinet. 2023; 62(2):209-220.

Morales Castro D, Abdelnour-Berchtold E, Urner M, et al. Transesophageal Echocardiography-Guided ECMO Cannulation in COVID-19. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2022;36(12):4296-4304.

Conclusion

Dr. Diana Morales Castro stands out as a dedicated physician, educator, and researcher with a profound impact on the fields of critical care medicine and pharmacokinetics. Through her academic achievements, clinical experience, and innovative research, she has contributed to improving the quality of care in critical settings, especially for patients undergoing complex treatments like ECMO. Her commitment to education and mentorship further elevates the standards of healthcare. As she continues to explore the intersections of critical care, pharmacokinetics, and echocardiography, Dr. Morales Castro’s work promises to shape the future of intensive care and pharmacological management in critically ill patients.