Research
Advancing knowledge related to the perioperative care of patients.
The research mission of the Department of Anesthesiology is to advance knowledge related to the perioperative care of patients. We have a particular focus in developing and enhancing safe and effective perioperative anesthesia care and pain management and in being a leading center of research excellence in the field. In the past year, our outstanding achievements have earned us the most NIH awards in the Chicago area among peers in our specialty. Our current research portfolio includes $8.4 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health and industry funding including Google.
Examples of research innovation include enhanced monitoring of cerebral hemodynamics and effects on cognitive outcomes and perioperative renal function in cardiac surgery; the prevention of chronic pelvic pain after childbirth; non-surgical treatments for knee pain from osteoarthritis; novel use of stellate ganglion nerve blocks for patients with hot flashes from menopause or cancer treatment; treatment disparities in care of patients; neuromodulation for chronic pain; and a variety of drug trials to improve postoperative pain with urologic and colorectal surgeries.
Established programs in basic science investigations of acute and chronic pain are internationally acclaimed for their excellence in understanding mechanisms and bringing forth non-opioid treatments for pain. This includes integral research collaboration with the Center for Translational Pain Research.
A growing research program in applied engineering and advanced technologies, including AI and wearable sensors, is rapidly providing advances in care and care delivery. Through deep integrations with the hospital system, collaborations with investigators across the university and novel partnerships small and large technology firms, next-generation diagnostics are being developed and validated, and their impact on real care is being measured.
Our Investigators
Charles W. Hogue, MDChair, Department of Anesthesiology; James E. Eckenhoff Professor of Anesthesiology
Chair, Department of Anesthesiology; James E. Eckenhoff Professor of Anesthesiology
Dr. Hogue has an extensive research track record involving clinical investigations aimed at improving cognitive and organ function after high-risk surgery particularly cardiac surgery. His team has over 15 years of continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health developing and implementing novel methods to monitor cerebral blood flow autoregulation at the point of patient care to personalize blood pressure management during surgery and in the intensive care unit. Other programs include a developing method to attenuate depressive symptoms in elderly patients as a means for improving cognitive and other outcomes from surgery.
Apkar V Apkarian, PhDDirector of Center for Translational Pain Research in Feinberg School of Medicine; Center of Excellence for Research in Chronic Pain and Drug Abuse; Professor of Neuroscience, Anesthesiology and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Dr. Apkar Vania Apkarian is the director of Center for Translational Pain Research in Feinberg School of Medicine as well as the Center of Excellence for Research in Chronic Pain and Drug Abuse. In addition to his position in Anesthesia, he is professor in the Department of Neuroscience and in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He is a neuroscientist and has been studying brain mechanisms of acute and chronic pain in humans and in animal models. His research has been continuously funded for the last 30 years, from more than 6 NIH institutes. He has mentored a large number of graduate and postgraduate students, many of whom now hold academic positions. Latest research in his lab is examining biomarkers for predicting development of chronic pain in osteoarthritis, mechanisms of placebo analgesia, limbic brain chemogenetic and optogenetic control of pain behavior in rodents, development of drug therapies for chronic pain and for transition to chronic pain, and impact of opioid use on brain function in chronic back pain patients.
Louanne Marie Carabini, MD, MA, FASAVice Chair for Education, Department of Anesthesiology; Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
Vice Chair for Education, Department of Anesthesiology; Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
Dr. Carabini studies systems-based improvement processes in critical care medicine, including outcomes studies after high-risk spine surgery, survival after in-hospital cardiac arrest and the impact of clinical protocols on blood product utilization rates. With a background in Medical Humanities and Bioethics, she is also involved in qualitative research on moral distress in healthcare providers and the use of routine ethics consultation for ECMO care teams.
Mozziyar Etemadi, MD, PhDResearch Assistant Professor of McCormick School of Engineering and Anesthesiology
Research Assistant Professor of McCormick School of Engineering and Anesthesiology
Dr. Etemadi leads the NM Healthcare Integrated Technologies (HIT) team, which through deep, interdisciplinary partnerships with the health system focuses on three key areas of research and development. First, the team builds clinically actionable artificial intelligence tools, several of which have already been deployed throughout the health system. Second, the team spends a significant effort on system integration middleware, combining data streams from disparate clinical information systems to form unified datasets for AI, frontline provider workflow enhancement and back-office operations. Finally, through significant public funding from the NIH, DARPA and others, the HIT team uses its rapidly customizable hardware platform to build novel hardware devices ranging from wearable physiologic monitors to augmented ultrasound machines.
Antoun H. Koht, MDChief of Neuroanesthesia in the Department of Anesthesiology; Professor of Anesthesiology, Neurological Surgery and the Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology
Chief of Neuroanesthesia in the Department of Anesthesiology; Professor of Anesthesiology, Neurological Surgery and the Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology
Dr. Koht primarily focuses on neurophysiologic monitoring during cerebral aneurysm surgery and neurophysiologic monitoring in head and spine surgeries in general. He also studies anesthesia outcomes in awake craniotomies.
Antoun M. Nader, MDChief of Acute Pain/Regional in the Department of Anesthesiology; Professor of Anesthesiology and Orthopaedic Surgery
Chief of Acute Pain/Regional in the Department of Anesthesiology; Professor of Anesthesiology and Orthopaedic Surgery
Dr. Nader's work focuses on the categories of neuroanesthesiology, pain medicine, acute postoperative pain management, head and neck pain syndromes and trigeminal neuralgia.
Feyce M. Peralta, MDAssociate Professor of Anesthesiology
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
Dr. Feyce M. Peralta is an obstetric anesthesiologist with a research focus in women’s health. She completed a Master of Science program in Health Services and Outcomes Research and has used the knowledge gained to assess outcomes related to post-dural puncture headache after neuraxial labor analgesia, high-degree perineal lacerations, and quality of recovery after birth.
Thomas Schnitzer, MD, PhDProfessor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Anesthesiology and Medicine (Rheumatology)
Dr. Thomas Schnitzer has active research program in bone biology and chronic musculoskeletal pain. In the bone field, research over the past decade has focused on understanding, preventing and reversing changes in bone mass and bone integrity after spinal cord injury. With support from NIH and in collaboration with Dr. Apkarian, research in chronic pain is directed toward understanding brain mechanisms involved in transition and maintenance of the chronic pain state. Dr. Schnitzer is a leader in clinical trial methodology and has led clinical trials of numerous novel therapeutic agents to manage osteoarthritis and chronic back pain, funded by both federal and pharmaceutical sources.
Explore Our Work
High-Impact Publications
See a list of the most recent work our scientists have had published in major academic journals.
Simulation Research
Our research includes studies conducted at the Northwestern Center for Clinical Simulation on simulation-based education as well as methods to improve the education of physicians.
Resident Research
Residents are encouraged to present research projects at national meetings; explore their past projects and recent publications.
Pediatric Research
Explore the work being done by our faculty within the field of pediatric anesthesiology.Clinical Trials
As part of an academic medical center, the Department of Anesthesiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine aims to improve the human health through scientific research. Learn about our ongoing trials and find out how you can participate.
