Congratulations to Carl Nielsen, MD, MBA!
On Saturday, Carl Nielsen, MD, Professor of Anesthesiology, received his MBA after completing twenty months of business education. Dr. Nielsen was also elected to the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society. It is the highest recognition a business student anywhere in the world can receive in a business program accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). Congratulations Dr. Nielsen for this well deserved recognition!

Congratulations to YanGang Sun, Ph.D.
Dr. YanGang Sun, a postdoctoral research associate in Dr. Zhoufeng Chen's lab, received the 31st annual James L. O'Leary prize for research in Neuroscience, May 8, 2008 for his project titled "A gastrin-releasing peptide receptor mediates the itch sensation in the spinal cord." One $1,000 award is given to a postdoctoral fellow each year for the most original and important accomplishment in neuroscience research.

Congratulations to Dr. Konrad Meissner
Dr. Konrad Meissner has been awarded the Mentored Research Training Grant (MRTG) by the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER) for his project titled "Visualizing Cerebral Opioid Transport and P-glycoprotien Function".
The abstract for Dr. Meissner's project can be read by Clicking Here.

Washington University Anesthesiologists represented on the board of the Missouri Society of Anesthesiologists

Congratulations to our faculty and residents who were recently elected to board positions on the Missouri Society of Anesthesiologists (MSA).

Congratulations to faculty member Dr. Tom Davis
Dr. Tom Davis was chosen as the 2008-2009 President-elect of the MSA.

Congratulations to resident Kevin Finkel, MD
At the recent MSA meeting, Dr. Finkel was instated as the president of the Resident Component of the MSA.
In addition, Dr. Finkel will be the Missouri resident delegate for the ASA Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C.

Congratulations to resident Ryan Derby, MD.
Dr. Derby was elected as co-Secretary/Treasurer.

Congratulations to our Research Faculty:

Dr. Joe Henry Steinbach's Program Project Grant titled "Anesthetics: Cellular and Molecular Actions" has been renewed for 5 years by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). Total award amount is $9 million.

Dr. Richard Hotchkiss's Federal Contract with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), funded through the Department of Defense (DoD) has been renewed for a second year. Total award amount for the second year of the contract is $1.78 million.

Dr. Narasimhan Gautam received a four year grant award from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences titled "G Protein Subunit Function"

Dr. Christopher Lingle received 2 grant awards this year. The grant titled "Auxillary Subunits of Ca2+ Activated K+ Channels" has been renewed for four years by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). Award total for both grants is $2.7 million.

The new Chief Residents for the 2008-2009 Academic year are: Steven Dieker, M.D., Brad McPherson, M.D., and Ben Palanca, M.D., Ph.D.
These chief residents were selected by a vote of the Residents and Faculty. There were many highly qualified and deserving individuals in the CA-2 class, several of whom received a significant number of votes. The Department is confident they will do an excellent job continuing to elevate our Residency Training Program. Congratulations!

The 2008 Midwest Anesthesia Residents Conference was held at the Marriot Downtown Hotel in Indianapolis, Indiana on April 4-6, 2008. Residents presenting at the conference were: Dawnisa Baker, MD, Michael Bottros, MD, Mitchell Fingerman, MD, David Meyer, MD, Lesley Nichols, MD Tru Patel, MD, Catherine Sandner, MD, Daniel Sucherman, MD, Breandan Sullivan, MD, Dan Tivener, MD and Shawn Zeltwanger, MD, PhD.

Special Congratulations to our first place winners:

ACUTE RIGHT HEART DILATATION DURING REPAIR OF TYPE A AORTIC DISSECTION
Authors: Sullivan, Breandan, MD; Chang, Ben MD; De Wet, Charl MBChB

LIVER TRANSPLANTATION IN A 2 YEAR-OLD CHILD WITH SITUS INVERSUS
Authors: Baker, Dawnisa, MD; Cox, Tom, MD

Congratulations to the B-Unaware Team!
Congratulations to the B-Unaware Team for their lead article and accompanying editorial in the March 13, 2008 New England Journal of Medicine. The 2000 patient study, which was supported by the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation, did not find a lower incidence of anesthesia awareness with bispectral index monitoring, and the use of the bispectral index protocol was not associated with reduced administration of volatile anesthetic gas.

The New England Journal of Medicine

Washington University School of Medicine - News

Congratulations to Dan Gillen, MD
Daniel P. Gillen, MD, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Director of Trauma Anesthesia Services has been confirmed by the United States Senate for promotion to the rank of Brigadier General, United States Air Force Reserve, effective 7 February 2008.
Dr. Gillen has been in the Air Force since 1979 and is a rated Senior Flight Surgeon. He has deployed twice as a Critical Care Air Transport Team physician for Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. He is currently the Mobilization Assistant to the Command Surgeon at Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, VA.

Michael Avidan MBBCh receives Samuel R. Goldstein Leadership Award in Medical Student Education
Michael Avidan was one of three Washington University faculty selected for the 2007 Samuel R. Goldstein Leadership Award for excellence and commitment to medical student education. The other recipients are Drs. William Clutter and Stanley Misler from the Department of Internal Medicine. Congratulations to Dr. Avidan for this well-deserved recognition.

Changing of the Guard
C. Michael Crowder MD PhD, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Developmental Biology, will take over the helm as Director of the Anesthesiology Research Unit and Chief of the Division of Basic Research effective July 1, 2008. Mike is a long standing member of the Anesthesiology faculty and an eminent investigator in the fields of model organism genetics and mechanisms of anesthesia. He is also highly regarded as a clinical neuroanesthesiologist.

Since its inception 22 years ago, Joe Henry Steinbach has been Director of Anesthesiology Research. During this time, the research mission of the Department has grown exponentially and has come to be regarded as one of the outstanding anesthesiology research groups in the world. Many thanks to Joe Henry for his prodigious achievements and contributions as research director. We look forward to even greater glories under Mike's leadership! Congratulations to Mike Crowder for his new appointment.

Congratulations to Richard Hotchkiss, MD
Richard Hotchkiss, MD, Professor of Anesthesiology and Surgery is being named as one of four recipients of the Washington University Medical School's Distinguished Investigator Awards. Dr. Hotchkiss was cited for his contributions to the understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of septic shock.

Congratulations to Dr. Laureen HIll and Dr. David Murray
Dr. Laureen HIll and Dr. David Murray have been awarded a grant by the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation for their project titled "Teamwork in Obstetrics: A Simulation-Based Pilot Curriculum for Team Training" The abstract for this project can be found on the DoCTR website.

Congratulations to Dr. Konrad Meissner
Dr. Konrad Meissner has been awarded a grant by the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation for his project titled "Optimizing PCA Opioid Safety: Variability In Morphine vs. Hydromorphone Clinical and Side Effects" The abstract for this project can be found on the DoCTR website.

Congratulations to James Fehr, MD
James Fehr, MD, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Pediatrics, has been selected as a Jerome and Carol Loeb Teaching Fellow of the School of Medicine. The fellowship was awarded to enable Dr. Fehr to develop a simulation curriculum of pediatric care scenarios for Washington University's medical students and pediatric residents to better prepare trainees in the evaluation and management of acutely ill children. The award is for two years and Dr. Fehr will be formally recognized at the School of Medicine's "Medical Education Day" on April 25, 2008