Welcome to UCSF Anesthesia Research

The specialty of anesthesia has never been more complex as anesthesiologists stretch their critical role in the treatment of serious perioperative health issues for diverse patient populations. Our department has long been a national leader in driving the research that ultimately improves the quality of patient care. In fact, we are among the top departments for NIH research funding in anesthesia in the United States. The Research Domain of the Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care pursues two basic missions:

To advance scientific discovery and innovation in clinically-relevant areas related to anesthesia, perioperative medicine, pain management, and critical care medicine: Our research program is driven by the strength of our faculty, which features some of the most internationally-respected names in anesthesia research. Major research programs in our department focus on anesthetic mechanisms, cognitive outcomes, hypoxia and ischemia, pain, vascular disease, cerebrovascular malformations and stroke, lung injury, sepsis, antibody engineering, data science and bioinformatics, and health equity.

To train and develop physicians and scientists pursuing careers that involve basic, translational, and/or clinical research on topics related to these broad areas: Creation of new knowledge is vital to the future of biomedicine, and our specialty in particular. The department is committed to helping residents, fellows, and junior faculty succeed in identifying and pursuing important research questions. This commitment to scholarship in research runs deep, both historically and in the present, supported wholeheartedly by our Chair, Dr. Gropper, and the entire faculty.

Judith Hellman, MD
Professor and Vice Chair for Research

Support Our Research

Help us to advance scientific discovery and innovation and to train physicians and scientists pursuing research careers. Select the “Bill Young Research Endowment” when prompted to direct your gift to a specific area.

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Research News

3D rendering of neurons firing
June 08, 2023

In a First, UCSF Researchers Have Identified Chronic Pain States in Individuals Directly from Their Neural Activity

By Ilona Garner

Lung bronchovascular tree in a mouse that was infected with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis.
May 22, 2023

UCSF-Led International Study Suggests Treatment Combination Which May Increase Chances of Patient Survival.

By Melinda Krigel

A researcher uses a dropper in a pipette
March 20, 2023

The Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care is strongly committed to supporting basic, translational, and clinically oriented research in a variety of topics related to anesthesia and perioperative care.

Upcoming Research Events

Type: Research
Date: 10/03/23
Time: 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Speaker: Bin Liu Lab
Type: Research
Date: 10/10/23
Time: 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Speaker: Maxime Cannesson
Type: Research
Date: 10/24/23
Time: 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Speaker: Won Lee, MD
Type: Research
Date: 11/07/23
Time: 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Type: Research
Date: 11/14/23
Time: 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Speaker: Wei Zhou, MD, PhD

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