Anesthesiology

2024 University Teaching Awards

Dr. Cheen Alkhatib was recognized as one of four recipients of this year's Chancellor Distinguished Teaching Award.

Congratulations to Dr. Alkhatib for this well-deserved recognition!

KU Anesthesiology Debuts History Display

Tony Kovac MD and the Department of Anesthesiology has created a display documenting the history and evolution of anesthesia administration at our health system. The exhibition illustrates in timeline fashion milestones and firsts in the anesthesiology department with text, photos, events, and individuals who were responsible for important achievements and contributions from the past to the present.

Individuals who helped create the display:

• Alex Welborn, archivist of KU Medical Center archives.
• Courtney Barbeau, past executive assistant to Talal Khan, MD
• Walter Orr, past medical writer for the Department of Anesthesiology.
• Nick Kelly, Department of Anesthesiology administrator.
• Rachel Lambert, Department of Anesthesiology assistant administrator.
• Angela Snyder, Willoughby Design Co. Talal Khan, MD, past chair, Department of Anesthesiology 
• Gina Hendren MD, chair of Anesthesiology

Drs. Hild and Kovac travel to Ghana

In September 2024, as part of the Dept. of Anesthesiology’s global health resident elective, Dr. Anthony Kovac, professor, and Dr. Johanna Hild, resident, observed anesthesia and medical care at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, Ghana.

Congratulations to Eric Gray for winning the CRNA of Excellence Award

Eric was nominated by Jen Hopkins and Krystal Schelp. Eric stands out amongst his peers as someone who cares deeply for his team, and the patients he cares for.

Eric is highly respected amongst the surgeons and anesthesiologist colleagues exemplify competent, anesthesia care. Surgeons and Anesthesiologist are at ease when Eric is present; resting in the expert care he has provided so many times over the years.

Congratulations Eric!!!

New T32 Grant on Obesity Complications, Congratulations Dr. Douglas Wright and Team

1/20/23 - The University of Kansas Medical Center has been awarded a prestigious grant by the National Institutes of Health to provide training focused on obesity and metabolism for pre-doctoral graduate students. Obesity is a complex national epidemic. The grant is intended to produce trainees who can think broadly about the condition from the laboratory to the clinic. Read full article: https://www.kumc.edu/about/news/news-archive/obesity-research-t32-grant.html

KU Medical Center hosts Brain Bee
Erin Young, faculty co-president this year, helped host the 16^th annual SfNKC Brain Bee where local high school students interested in learning about the human brain come to be quizzed on their knowledge. They are proudly sending their regional winner to the National Brain Bee in Irvine, CA! Read the full story.

Dr. Holwerda receives K-INBRE award!
The K-INBRE has awarded Seth Holwerda, PhD a 2-year $150,000 research grant to examine vascular dysfunction in insulin resistance and obesity. This research award is part of the Developmental Research Program to support promising young Kansas faculty. Congratulations Dr. Holwerda!

Seth W. Holwerda, Ph.D. recently had a manuscript, "Standardizing methodology for assessing spontaneous baroreflex control of muscel sympathetic nerve activity in humans" published in AJP-Heart and Circulatory Physiology as a Cores of Reproducibility in Physiology (Unsolicited).

Seth W. Holwerda, Ph.D. is presenting at the Annual American Autonomic Society meeting November 6th and 7th, 2020. His presentation poster: Evidence of sympathetic regulation of the choroid circulation by baroreceptors in humans.

Dr. Andrea Chadwick was honored to be featured on the NPR program: "All Things Considered" with her approach to treating pain for addiction patients. View the NPR article

Congratulations to Dr. Anthony Kovac on his article, Updates in the Management of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting, in Advances in Anesthesia.