Propelling the Field of Anesthesia Forward
A new benchmark of 107 cutting-edge scientific abstracts was showcased at Duke Anesthesiology’s 33rd Annual Academic Evening, the department’s flagship event that aims to advance anesthesiology, critical care and pain management. Congratulations to the exceptional award winners spanning five categories of research.
Experimental Painkiller Could Outsmart Opioids – Without the High
New options for pain relief could be on the horizon with the development of a non-opioid pain reliever by researchers in Dr. Ru-Rong Ji’s Duke Anesthesiology lab.
Fellow Earns Distinguished Obstetrics Research Award
Congratulations to Dr. Heather Acuff, Duke obstetric anesthesiology fellow, on being selected as this year’s recipient of the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology’s Frederick P. Zuspan Award in recognition of excellence in collaborative research.
Dr. Kent Appointed Division Chief
Congratulations to Michael Kent, MD, MSQM, on being appointed chief of the Ambulatory Anesthesiology Division, bringing 14 years of experience to this leadership role overseeing the division’s clinical, research and education programs.
NIH Grant Awarded to Explore Microbial Influence in Sepsis
Congratulations to Dr. Mara Serbanescu on receiving a $2,018,750 grant from the National Institutes of Health for her research that aims to reveal how alterations in gut bacteria and their byproducts that enter the bloodstream affect immune response and organ function during sepsis.
Duke Researchers Awarded NIH Grant to Study Neural Impact of Smoking Withdrawal on Pain
Congratulations to Duke Anesthesiology's Dr. Katherine Martucci on receiving a five-year $3,488,576 NIH R01 grant to study how smoking withdrawal alters pain processing in the brain and develop interventions for smoking cessation in chronic pain patients.
Dr. Nicoara Garners Prestigious ASE Accolade
Congratulations to Alina Nicoara, MD, FASE, on being selected as the 2025 recipient of the American Society of Echocardiography’s (ASE) prestigious Outstanding Achievement in Perioperative Echocardiography Award, joining the esteemed ranks as the fourth Duke Anesthesiology faculty to receive this honor.
Dr. Achanta Awarded Grant for Novel Approach to ARDS
Congratulations to Satya Achanta, DVM, PhD, on being awarded a $199,962 grant to assess a novel intravascular membrane oxygen catheter, which may be beneficial for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
Fellowship Director Receives Prestigious Award
Congratulations to Duke Anesthesiology’s Dr. Peter Yi on being selected as a recipient of the 2025 American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine’s Excellence in Education Award in recognition of his innovative contributions and educational achievements in the field.
Anesthesiology Research Scholar Earns Prestigious Education Award
Congratulations to Dr. Sara Amaral on being selected as the 2025 recipient of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine’s Excellence in Education Award in recognition of her innovation and educational success in the field.