Discovery, the Critical Care Research Network

Advancing research in critical care medicine.

Discovery, the research arm of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM), opens new doors for researchers seeking to advance their careers and the future of critical care.

Established in 2017, Discovery provides a pathway for researchers to submit research proposals, apply for funding, and connect with like-minded individuals to support and advance high-quality, data-driven critical care research.

Get Involved

Start Here: Join the SCCM Discovery Community

The easiest way to get involved in Discovery is to join this community on SCCM Connect, where you can get updates, collaborate with others, and more. All you need is an SCCM account.

Join Now on SCCM Connect

Do you have a research idea to share?

Submit a Clinical Investigator Proposal and receive peer feedback and the opportunity to present your proposal at a Discovery Clinical Investigators Meeting.

Get Started

How Discovery Can Support Your Research

Data and Clinical Coordination Services

Explore how Discovery can provide data storage, management and analysis, central institutional review board services, and project management to assist in your research.

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Grant Support

Research grants offer opportunities for established and early-career researchers. Learn more about funding opportunities, including the SCCM-Weil Research Grant and the Discovery Research Grant.

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Discovery Leadership

Robert MacLaren, PharmD, MPH

Chair

Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
University of Colorado
Aurora, Colorado, USA

Philippe R. Bauer, MD, PhD, FCCM

Vice-Chair

Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy, and Sleep Medicine
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, Minnesota, USA

Laura Evans, MD, MSc

Past Chair

Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington, USA

Discovery Oversight Committee

Valerie Danesh, PhD, RN

Center for Applied Health Research
Baylor Scott and White Health
Dallas, Texas, USA

Smith F. Heavner, PhD, RN, FCCM

Data Collaboration Center, Critical Path Institute
Tucson, Arizona, USA
Pragmatic Approach
Greenville, South Carolina, USA

Rishikesan Kamaleswaran, PhD, FACTS

Duke University School of Medicine
Durham, North Carolina, USA

Gretchen L. Sacha, PharmD, MS, FCCM, FCCP

Department of Pharmacy
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, Ohio, USA

What Discovery is Doing

Data Science Campaign

Leverage the opportunities of data science; download the Critical Care Data Dictionary toolkit; and learn more about Discovery’s continued efforts in data standardization, harmonization, and sharing.

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Research Collaboratives

Find a list of the current endorsed projects, Discovery programs, and published works. Learn about the benefits of submitting a clinical investigator proposal to Discovery and having your proposal become an endorsed project.

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Recent Publications

View All Discovery Articles

A Framework and Method for Measuring the Implementation of Data Science in Critical Care
Woznica D, Al-Hakim T, Kumar VK, et al. A framework and method for measuring the implementation of data science in critical care. Crit Care Explor. 2026 Feb;8(2):e1372. doi:10.1097/CCE.0000000000001372.
Program Type: DISCOVERY, DATA-SCIENCE-CAMPAIGN

Extending the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) Common Data Model for Critical Care Medicine: A Framework for Standardizing Complex ICU Data Using the Society of Critical Care Medicine's Critical Care Data Dictionary (C2D2)
Adams MCB, Hurley RW, Bartels K, et al. Extending the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) Common Data Model for critical care medicine: a framework for standardizing complex ICU data using the Society of Critical Care Medicine's Critical Care Data Dictionary (C2D2). Crit Care Med. 2026 Feb 1;54(2):270-279. doi:10.1097/CCM.0000000000006969.
Program Type: DISCOVERY, DATA-SCIENCE-CAMPAIGN

Prevalence of Sepsis as Defined by Phoenix Sepsis Definition Among Children With COVID-19
Tripathi S, McGarvey J, Montgomery V, et al. Prevalence of sepsis as defined by Phoenix Sepsis Definition among children with COVID-19. Hosp Pediatr. 2025 Jul 1;15(7):554-562. doi:10.1542/hpeds.2024-008161.
Program Type: VIRUS, DISCOVERY

The Association Between Early Corticosteroid Use and the Risk of Secondary Infections in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19: A Double-Edged Sword.
Bansal V, Jain NK, Lal A, et al; Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) Discovery Viral Infection and Respiratory Illness Universal Study (VIRUS): COVID-19 Registry Investigator Group. The association between early corticosteroid use and the risk of secondary infections in hospitalized patients with COVID-19: a double-edged sword. Results from the international SCCM Discovery Viral Infection and Respiratory Illness Universal Study (VIRUS) COVID-19 Registry. Front Med (Lausanne). 2025 Feb 14;12:1466346. doi:10.3389/fmed.2025.1466346.
Program Type: VIRUS, DISCOVERY

Wrangling Real-World Data: Optimizing Clinical Research Through Factor Selection with LASSO Regression
Howard KA, Anderson W, Podichetty JT, et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025;22(4):464.
Program Type: CURE-ID, DISCOVERY