Pre-clinical research
Pre-clinical research is performed in the laboratory for mechanisms of anesthesia located in the department of physiology, University of Toronto. The team is led by Dr. Beverley Orser, scientist & professor in the department of anesthesia and physiology, and chair of the department of anesthesia, University of Toronto.
The discovery of general anesthesia is one of the greatest advances in the history of medicine. However, the molecular mechanisms of how anesthetics work have eluded scientists for centuries. This lack of understanding has stalled drug development and contributes to an inability to treat anesthesia-related disorders. The main goal of the laboratory is to understand the molecular mechanisms of general anesthetics and discover new therapeutic drugs to improve patient care.
Clinical research
Dr. Stephen Choi
Clinical Research Officer
Dr. Nathan Herrmann
Dept of psychiatry
Dr. Philip Jones
LHSC University Hospital
Dr. Alex Kiss
Dept of health policy, management and evaluation
Cogstate
We thank Cogstate for generous in-kind donation of online cognitive assessment tool
Dr. Krista Lanctôt
Depts of psychiatry and pharmacology & toxicology
Dr. David Mazer
Dept of anesthesia (SMH)
Dr. Tarit Saha
KGH Research Institute
Dr. Summer Syed
Hamilton General Hospital, McMaster University
Dr. Angela Jerath
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto
Dr. Lilia Kaustov
Director of operations
Research manager
Eily Shaw
Research coordinator
Dr. Ignacio Erbetta
Research coordinator
Daniel Martinho
Research coordinator
Shahin Khodaei
Clinical Research coordinator
Dr. Connor Brenna
Research fellow
Hannah Rose Rosales
Graduate Student
Hana Hadley
Research assistant
Madlene Abramian
Research coordinator
Annie Su
Co-op student
Select Publications from our Centre
Current Projects
Current projects are listed on our Research Page.
Graduate Student Program and Training Opportunities
The program is designed to develop the better diagnostics and treatments in Brain and Mental Health – an area, which represents a huge social and economic burden worldwide.
MSc candidates are welcome to write to Dr. Stephen Choi at any time, and should apply through the Institute of Medical Sciences.
As a ‘bilingual scientist’ and a physician who sees patients and can bring understanding of disease, Dr. Choi has a strong interest to bridge a pre-clinical and clinical research to enable knowledge transfer of perioperative brain health discoveries into the clinic.
Postdoctoral & graduate candidates are welcome to write to Dr. Beverley A. Orser at any time. Graduate students should apply through the Department of Physiology, University of Toronto.
Qualified candidates should have a background in one or more of the following areas: translational neuroscience, neurological and anesthesia-related disorders, neurotransmitter receptors, extrasynaptic GABAA receptors, physiology.
Experience and skills in one or more following techniques is essential: electrophysiology (in vitro or in vivo), whole-cell patch clamp recording in brain slices, biochemistry, cell biology, optogenetics, imaging, and animal behavioral assays.
Educational Observerships
Professional Development and Continuing Education oversees our Educational Observerships.
Perioperative Brain Health Centre Summer Student program
We are offering matching summer studentships through the Sunnybrook Research Institute.
Anesthesia Grand Rounds
Knowledge translational rounds take place quaternary to network and foster collaboration between preclinical and clinical research arms.
- June 7th 2024:
- “Discoveries that shaped the journey: The story behind a classic papers revisited” presented by Dr. Beverley A. Orser, MD, PhD, FRCPC
- “Life’s a wave… Catch it! A VExUS analysis” presented by Dr. Mario Merin, MD, Anesthesia Fellow
To enroll:
Please contact Dr. Lilia Kaustov (study coordinator).
We are looking for study participants who are:
60 years of age or older and undergoing open heart surgery at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
or
50 years of age older and undergoing a hip or knee replacement at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Details
Perioperative neurocognitive dysfunction, including delirium and other cognitive disorders, are common adverse events following surgery. These can affect memory, thought processes and awareness either transiently or for periods of months to years, and can lead to longer hospital stays, decline in functional independence and permanent disorders such as dementia.
There are no proven treatments to prevent these disorders, but you can make a difference. We are seeking volunteers undergoing heart, hip or knee surgery at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre for two studies: CODEX, studying the effect of a widely used medication, dexmedetomidine, on perioperative cognition in cardiac surgical patients; and COGNIGRAM, assessing the cognitive status in patients undergoing major joint surgery using a standardized cognitive test.
Enroll today to help us gain a better understanding of how perioperative neurocognitive dysfunction can be prevented. Please note that out of pocket expenses will be covered.
This study may involve
Completing a few questionnaires, as well as a brief, 20-minute computerized cognitive test before your operation and again during your hospital stay and at 3, 6, and 12 months later via phone.
Principal investigator
For more information
Learn more about the Perioperative Brain Health Centre.