April 4, 2025

The International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS) is happy to announce the incoming Executive Committee of the IARS Board of Directors. We are certain that they will steadily lead IARS forward in the coming year, guiding our global anesthesiology community to advance the science and practice of medicine.

	Board President Oluwaseun “Seun” Johnson-Akeju, MD, Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at Mass General Brigham (MGB), has stepped into the role of IARS Board President. Having joined the IARS Board of Directors in 2021, Dr. Johnson-Akeju has since served as Board Secretary and Treasurer as well as on the Nomination and Governance Committee and the Annual Meeting Oversight Committee as the CME Co-Chair and provided valuable input on strategic planning and vital initiatives to grow the anesthesia research specialty. With substantial experience as a clinician, researcher, educator and leader in the anesthesiology specialty, he possesses unwavering principals of transparency, equity, inclusion, and a strong commitment to service, accountability and excellence. With 18 years of experience as a clinician and scientist at MGB with a research background that intersects medicine, neuroscience, mathematical modeling and engineering, Dr. Johnson-Akeju has worked tirelessly to unite teams and build meaningful connections within his institution and beyond. His commitment to community building will continue to elevate the IARS mission to grow and support scientists worldwide. Dr. Johnson-Akeju will no doubt steer the helm of the IARS deftly in the coming year.
	Immediate Past Board President A recognized investigator and an expert in lung biology, Y.S. Prakash, MD, PhD, vice dean of Research at Mayo Clinic as well as associate dean of Research, Midwest and Professor of Anesthesiology and Physiology and chair of the Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering at Mayo, has continued to expand his service to the research community since he joined the IARS Board of Directors in 2020. His dedication to the research community is vast and career-spanning with service to several professional societies in anesthesiology, physiology and pulmonary medicine, including the Association of University Anesthesiologists, American Society of Anesthesiologists, American Physiological Society and American Thoracic Society. His commitment to IARS is reflected in the multiple roles he has undertaken at the organization, including board chair and vice chair, chair of the Research & Education Awards Committee, vice chair of the Membership Committee and journal liaison to Anesthesia & Analgesia. Dr. Prakash’s unique perspective with a background that spans anesthesiology, physiology, and electrical and biomedical engineering continues to benefit IARS’s diverse global anesthesiology community.
	Board President-Elect Since joining the IARS Board of Directors in 2021, Vivianne Tawfik, MD, PhD, associate professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine; director, Fellowship in Anesthesia Research & Medicine (FARM) program at Stanford University, has demonstrated her dedication and essential contributions to the organization across all programs and initiatives. An experienced anesthesiologist, pain medicine physician and scientist, her roles have included serving on the Annual Meeting Oversight Committee, leading the IARS Membership Committee as co-chair and helping provide strategic insights on the Executive Committee. Throughout her service to IARS and anesthesiology, she has shown a commitment for building a purposeful and inclusive global anesthesiology community, including co-founding the Early-Career Anesthesiology Scholars organization, increasing access to IARS resources for individuals in Low- and Middle-Income Countries and early-career faculty through discounted memberships and dedicated travel grants, sharing her time and expertise with other professional organizations like the International Association for the Study of Pain and advocating for women in anesthesiology. Dr. Tawfik has emphasized the importance of growing and supporting scientists worldwide and continuing to advance knowledge both at IARS and in her own research investigating the immune contribution to persistent pain and clinical work treating patients suffering from chronic pain. Her significant drive to mentor the next generation of physician-scientists and advance science will pay dividends for the IARS in the future.
	Board Secretary and Treasurer As a leader in pain research and health IT, Meredith Adams, MD, MS, FASA, FAMIA, associate professor, Departments of Anesthesiology, Biomedical Informatics, and Public Health Sciences at Wake Forest School of Medicine, has played a major role in shaping the future of pain research and advancing patient care as a whole through her scientific contributions, leadership and advocacy. Having joined the IARS Board of Directors in 2023, Dr. Adams has consistently exemplified a passion for scientific excellence, a strong work ethic, and steadfast determination for making a significant difference for the anesthesiology community. As a NIH-funded researcher who is board certified in anesthesiology, pain medicine and clinical informatics with a current NIH PI portfolio of more than $16 million, Dr. Adams’ depth of knowledge as an anesthesiologist and researcher, diverse perspective and vital input on strategic initiatives have served IARS as she has served on the Nomination and Governance, Annual Meeting Oversight and Membership committees. In this new leadership role, Dr. Adams will continue to develop an inclusive anesthesiology community at IARS that welcomes every perspective and every shape of researcher and clinician.

The International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS) is happy to announce the incoming Executive Committee of the IARS Board of Directors. We are certain that they will steadily lead IARS forward in the coming year, guiding our global anesthesiology community to advance the science and practice of medicine.

Board President

Oluwaseun “Seun” Johnson-Akeju, MD, Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at Mass General Brigham (MGB), has stepped into the role of IARS Board President. Having joined the IARS Board of Directors in 2021, Dr. Johnson-Akeju has since served as Board Secretary and Treasurer as well as on the Nomination and Governance Committee and the Annual Meeting Oversight Committee as the CME Co-Chair and provided valuable input on strategic planning and vital initiatives to grow the anesthesia research specialty. With substantial experience as a clinician, researcher, educator and leader in the anesthesiology specialty, he possesses unwavering principals of transparency, equity, inclusion, and a strong commitment to service, accountability and excellence. With 18 years of experience as a clinician and scientist at MGB with a research background that intersects medicine, neuroscience, mathematical modeling and engineering, Dr. Johnson-Akeju has worked tirelessly to unite teams and build meaningful connections within his institution and beyond. His commitment to community building will continue to elevate the IARS mission to grow and support scientists worldwide. Dr. Johnson-Akeju will no doubt steer the helm of the IARS deftly in the coming year.

Immediate Past Board President

A recognized investigator and an expert in lung biology, Y.S. Prakash, MD, PhD, vice dean of Research at Mayo Clinic as well as associate dean of Research, Midwest and Professor of Anesthesiology and Physiology and chair of the Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering at Mayo, has continued to expand his service to the research community since he joined the IARS Board of Directors in 2020. His dedication to the research community is vast and career-spanning with service to several professional societies in anesthesiology, physiology and pulmonary medicine, including the Association of University Anesthesiologists, American Society of Anesthesiologists, American Physiological Society and American Thoracic Society. His commitment to IARS is reflected in the multiple roles he has undertaken at the organization, including board chair and vice chair, chair of the Research & Education Awards Committee, vice chair of the Membership Committee and journal liaison to Anesthesia & Analgesia. Dr. Prakash’s unique perspective with a background that spans anesthesiology, physiology, and electrical and biomedical engineering continues to benefit IARS’s diverse global anesthesiology community.

Board President-Elect

Since joining the IARS Board of Directors in 2021, Vivianne Tawfik, MD, PhD, associate professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine; director, Fellowship in Anesthesia Research & Medicine (FARM) program at Stanford University, has demonstrated her dedication and essential contributions to the organization across all programs and initiatives. An experienced anesthesiologist, pain medicine physician and scientist, her roles have included serving on the Annual Meeting Oversight Committee, leading the IARS Membership Committee as co-chair and helping provide strategic insights on the Executive Committee. Throughout her service to IARS and anesthesiology, she has shown a commitment for building a purposeful and inclusive global anesthesiology community, including co-founding the Early-Career Anesthesiology Scholars organization, increasing access to IARS resources for individuals in Low- and Middle-Income Countries and early-career faculty through discounted memberships and dedicated travel grants, sharing her time and expertise with other professional organizations like the International Association for the Study of Pain and advocating for women in anesthesiology. Dr. Tawfik has emphasized the importance of growing and supporting scientists worldwide and continuing to advance knowledge both at IARS and in her own research investigating the immune contribution to persistent pain and clinical work treating patients suffering from chronic pain. Her significant drive to mentor the next generation of physician-scientists and advance science will pay dividends for the IARS in the future.

Board Secretary and Treasurer

As a leader in pain research and health IT, Meredith Adams, MD, MS, FASA, FAMIA, associate professor, Departments of Anesthesiology, Biomedical Informatics, and Public Health Sciences at Wake Forest School of Medicine, has played a major role in shaping the future of pain research and advancing patient care as a whole through her scientific contributions, leadership and advocacy. Having joined the IARS Board of Directors in 2023, Dr. Adams has consistently exemplified a passion for scientific excellence, a strong work ethic, and steadfast determination for making a significant difference for the anesthesiology community. As a NIH-funded researcher who is board certified in anesthesiology, pain medicine and clinical informatics with a current NIH PI portfolio of more than $16 million, Dr. Adams’ depth of knowledge as an anesthesiologist and researcher, diverse perspective and vital input on strategic initiatives have served IARS as she has served on the Nomination and Governance, Annual Meeting Oversight and Membership committees. In this new leadership role, Dr. Adams will continue to develop an inclusive anesthesiology community at IARS that welcomes every perspective and every shape of researcher and clinician.