Skip to main content

Research Rounds

Our Research Rounds Lecture Series, directed by Benedict Alter, MD, PhD, and Keith M. Vogt, MD, PhD, FASA, promotes the sharing of recent results and ongoing projects in basic and clinical research both from within and outside our department. Meetings are held select Tuesdays of the month, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.in a hybrid format via Microsoft Teams. 

MS Teams meeting logon info will be e-mailed to department staff. For individuals outside the department who wish to access the lecture, please email Jasmin Brown.

Recordings of past lectures are archived on our SharePoint intranet for people inside the department (UPMC account required).

View the upcoming lecture schedule  

Past Research Rounds Lectures

Academic Year 2024-2025

Lecture Date  

Presenter(s)

Lecture Title

5/27/2025

Sossena Wood, PhD, Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University

Characterizing Chronic Pain Phenotypes in Adults with Sickle Cell Disease Using Neuroimaging

5/20/2025

Cort Thompson, PhD, T32 Postdoctoral Scholar, Pitt/UPMC Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Novel Microelectrode Arrays for Detection of Glycine and other Neurotransmitters

4/8/2025

Kathirvel Subramaniam, MD, MPH, FASE, Professor; Chief, Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Division; Director, Perioperative Echocardiography, Pitt/UPMC Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Clinical Trials in Cardiac Anesthesia

3/25/2025

Siamak Salavatian, PhD, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine; Director of Neuromodulation Research, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Neuromodulation Therapies for Cardiac Arrhythmias

3/11/2025

Marcus Simmons, MD, T32 Postdoctoral Scholar, Pitt/UPMC Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Memory and Pain Modulation with Inhalational Anesthetics

2/25/2025

Rebecca Kotcher, MD, T32 Postdoctoral Scholar, Pitt/UPMC Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Blue Light as an Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Strategy in Thoracic Trauma (BLAASTT)

1/28/2025

Prasad Shirvalkar, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology (Pain Management), Neurological Surgery, Neurology, Weill Institute of Neurosciences, UCSF

Personalized Brain Stimulation for Chronic Pain  

1/14/2025

Senthil Sadhasivam, MD, MPH, MBA, FASA, Tenured Professor and Executive Vice Chair for Clinical Quality, Patient Safety, and Clinical Research; Associate Dean for Perioperative Research, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Director, Perioperative Research, University of Pittsburgh; Director, Perioperative Genomics Program, University of Pittsburgh

Multimodal Prediction & Prevention of Postoperative Morbidity & Mortality

12/10/2024

Keith M. Vogt, MD, PhD, FASA, Associate Professor, Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Bioengineering, and Clinical and Translational Science, University of Pittsburgh

Neural Correlates of Auricular Stimulation and Auriculotherapy

11/26/2024

Benedict Alter, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor; Director, Translational Pain Research; University of Pittsburgh/UPMC Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Understanding the Whole-Person Impact of Endogenous Pain Disinhibition on Movement-Evoked Pain

11/20/2024

Christina Pabelick, MD, Consultant, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine; Consultant, Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering; Professor of Anesthesiology, and Physiology, Mayo Clinic

Hydrogen Sulfide in Neonatal Airway Disease

11/20/2024

Y.S. Prakash, MD, PhD, Chair, Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering; Vice-Chair, Department of Anesthesiology; Vice Dean of Research; Professor of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic; IARS Board Vice Chair

Implications of Cellular Senescence in the Airway: Aging Across Age

11/12/2024

Michael Marks, PhD, Grant Writer, Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Grant Writing Assistance: A Deeper Dive

10/22/2024

Paramita Basu, MS, PhD, Research Assistant Professor, Pitt/UPMC Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Deciphering the Mechanism of Sex Differences in Protein Kinase A Signaling of Chronic Postsurgical Pain

9/24/2024

Julia Scarpa, MD, PhD, Co-Director, Medical Accelerator and Digital Engineering (MADE); Van Poznak Research Scholar; Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine

Aerospace Medicine and Anesthesiology: Overlapping Physiology and Research Opportunities

9/10/2024

Brian A. Williams, MD, MBA, Emeritus Director, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS) IMPACT Perioperative Optimization, VAPHS Acute Pain /Regional Anesthesia; Professor of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Multimodal Perineural Anesthesia - Concluding a 2007-2024 Pursuit: The Ball is in Your Court Now

Academic Year 2023-2024

Lecture Date  

Presenter(s)

Lecture Title

5/23/2024

Mihaela Visoiu, MD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Simulation in Teaching Pediatric Regional Anesthesia

5/14/2024

Alejandro Munoz-Valencia, MD, PhD(c), University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Mapping Health: Navigating Healthcare Access with Geographic Information Systems

4/23/2024

Isabela (Cajiao) Angelelli, MD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

First Do No Harm: Healthcare and the Environment

4/9/2024

Phillip Adams, DO, FASA, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Perioperative Considerations for Single-Ventricle Patients with Fontan Physiology

3/12/2024

Jacques Chelly, MD, PhD, MBA, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Auriculo-Neurostimulation for the Management of Postoperative Pain and Opioid Requirement

2/27/2024

Michael Devinney Jr., MD, PhD, Critical Care Medicine Division, Duke University School of Medicine

The Role of Blood-Brain Barrier Dysfunction and Neuroinflammation in Postoperative Delirium

2/13/2024

Liz Leimer, MD, PhD, Oregon Health and Science University Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

High-Density Single-Unit Recordings from Brainstem Pain-Modulating Neurons

1/23/2024

Dakota Folmsbee, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Computational Illumination of Allosteric Modulation in Glycine Receptors

1/9/2024

Joseph Scarpa, MD, PhD, Weill Cornell Medicine Anesthesiology

Integrating Multi-omics and Digital Health for Precision Anesthesia

12/12/2023

Michelle Failla, PhD, The Ohio State University College of Nursing

Pain Perception in Autism: From Assumptions to Evidence

11/28/2023

Ruby A. Holland, PhD, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine / Carnegie Mellon University Medical Scientist Training Program

A Novel Midbrain Circuit for the Development of Opioid Withdrawal

11/14/2023

Murat Kaynar, MD, MPH, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Telemedicine in Perioperative Care

10/24/2023

Sarah E. Ross, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Neurobiology/Pittsburgh Pain Center for Pain Research

Reconsidering the Neural Circuits of Pain - A New Perspective

10/10/2023

Rebecca Kotcher, MD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Blue Light Therapy in Rectal Cancer: A Pilot Study

9/26/2023

Marcus Simmons, MD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Sevoflurane’s Effect on Pain and Memory: A Volunteer Neuroimaging Study

9/12/2023

Grace Lim, MD, MS, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Pain and the Brain: Reducing the Burden and Impact of Depression and Pain in Special Populations

Academic Year 2022-2023

Lecture Date  

Presenter(s)

Lecture Title

5/24/2023

Abigail Hellman, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Neuropeptide Y1 Interneurons in Inflammatory Pain Circuits

5/10/2023

Eileen Nguyen, MD, PhD, Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Control of Itch and Pain: An Exploration of Brainstem-Spinal Opioidergic Circuits

4/26/2023

Marsha Ritter, MD, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

The Role of Sensory Afferents in Wound Healing

3/22/2023

Yan Xu, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Becoming an NIH-Funded Investigator: A Practical Guide to Successful Grant Writing

3/8/2023

Benedict Alter, MD, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Bridging Pain Modulation Neuroimaging and Clinical Phenotyping in Arthritis

2/22/2023

James W. Ibinson, MD, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Neuroimaging of Post-operative Neurocognitive Disorders

1/25/2023

Brian Williams, MD, MBA, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Are PONV Consensus Guidelines Conflicted or Simply Pre-Informed? The Test Case of 5-drug AEPPx including Low-dose Diphenhydramine in an Intrathecal Morphine Clinical Pathway Model

12/14/2022

Kenny M. Roman, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Chronic Pelvic Pain: Non-invasive Animal Model(s), Experimental Findings, and Potential Therapeutics

11/30/2022

Vitaly Napadow, PhD, LicAc, Harvard Medical School; Center for Integrative Pain NeuroImaging; Scott Schoen and Nancy Adams Discovery Center for Recovery from Chronic Pain at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

A Social Neuroscience Perspective on the Patient-Clinician Relationship Using Hyperscan Neuroimaging

11/9/2022

Trent D. Emerick, MD, MBA, FASA, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Bioresorbable Nerve Stimulators for Acute and Chronic Pain

10/26/2022

Kimberly Howard-Quijano, MD, MS, FASE, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Role of Sympathetic Nervous System in Cardiovascular Disease and Perioperative Outcomes

10/12/2022

Adam Hines, University of Pennsylvania and University of Queensland

A Synapse Specific Mechanism of General Anesthesia Reduces Excitatory Neurotransmission

9/28/2022

Ajay D. Wasan, MD, MSc, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Comparative Effectiveness of Medical Marijuana vs. Conventional Medication Treatment for Chronic Pain

9/14/2022

Nicholas J. Douville, MD, PhD, University of Michigan Health Department of Anesthesiology

Precision Health in the Perioperative Period - Lessons Learned Integrating Genomics into the Operating Room

Academic Year 2021-2022

Lecture Date  

Presenter(s)

Lecture Title

5/3/2022

Tomas Drabek, MD, PhD, FASA, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Cardio-Pulmonary Cerebral Resuscitation: Still Looking for a Breakthrough

4/19/2022

Andrea Ibarra, MD, MS, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

The Effect of Preeclampsia on Cognitive Function

4/5/2022

Marsha Ritter, MD, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

The Role of MD-1 in Neuroimmune Communication

3/29/2022

Siamak Salavatian, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Neuromodulation Therapies for Cardiac Disease

3/15/2022

Craig Wilcox, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Chemistry

Fighting Misconduct Allegations through Responsible Conduct of Research

3/1/2022

Steve Orebaugh, MD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Research in Peripheral Nerve Blockade

2/15/2022

Liz Whitlock, MD, MS, University of California, San Francisco

Cognitive Change after Surgery for Older Adults - How we Got Here, and How to Move Forward

2/1/2022

Tommy Tillman, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Impact of SARS-COV-2 Spike Protein on α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor in Cells

1/18/2022

Bradley K. Taylor, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Basic and Clinical Neurobiology of Chronic Postoperative Pain

1/4/2022

Senthilkumar Sadhasivam, MD, MPH, MBA, FASA, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Personalizing Surgical Pain Management and Opioid Pharmacogenetics

12/7/2021

Kristin Schreiber, MD, PhD, Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School

Variation in Biological, Psychological and Social Modulators of Pain among Individuals: A Basis for Personalized Pain Prevention

11/30/2021

Michael Schnetz, MD, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Identification of Patient-Dependent Blood Pressure Targets Associated with Low Risk of Intraoperative Hypotension in Non-Cardiac Surgery

11/16/2021

Michael Bokoch, MD, Department of Anesthesia & Perioperative Care University of California, San Francisco

Mild Hypothermia and AKI in Liver Transplantation Trial at 80% Enrollment: Clinical Findings & Translational Insight

11/1/2021

Sean P. Farris, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Neurobiology of Addiction and Co-Morbid Disorders

10/19/2021

Keith Vogt, MD, PhD, and Ben Alter, MD, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Work-in-progress: Functional Connectivity during Pain and Anesthesia / Harnessing the Power of Placebo Analgesia