The IARS Mentored Research Awards (IMRA) support the development of promising investigators in anesthesiology and related sciences. Up to four research projects are selected annually, with a maximum award of $175,000 each, payable over two years. The grants are intended to help create future leaders and prepare applicants to apply for independent research funding.
Applications for the IMRA may be in any area of investigation (clinical, translational, basic science), but must have ultimate relevance to the broad practice of anesthesiology and its subspecialties. Principal applicants for IMRA must be members of the IARS who have yet to establish substantial independent research funding or who are initiating a new area of research. Candidates should present a clear research plan, propose work that is pertinent to anesthesiology, and have both a senior mentor and an appointment in a successful principal investigator’s group. All IMRA applications will be reviewed by an external advisory board, appointed by the IARS Board of Trustees and Research Committee. Applications will be reviewed on the basis of scientific merit, adequate preliminary data, career potential of the investigator, and importance of the investigation to the specialty of anesthesiology. Awards are granted at the sole discretion of the IARS.
“Receiving the IARS Mentored Research Award really helped launch me in research by providing me the academic time and support and mentorship that I wouldn’t have otherwise received.”
— Past IMRA recipient
We are now accepting applications: IARS 2023 Mentored Research Award!
To apply please click here.
Application due date: April 30, 2023.
View the 2023 Guidelines here.
You may contact [email protected] if you require additional information
Past Recipients
Sunny Lou, MD, PhDIntelligent Clinical Decision Support for Perioperative Blood Management
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
Wei Ruan, PhD, MD
Circadian cardioprotection: BMAL1/HIF2A complex and co-target amphiregulin
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Houston, TX
Katarina Ruscic, PhD, MD
The Effects of Anesthetics on Lymphatic Vessel Contractility
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, MA
William Tharp, MD, PhD
Impaired Lung Mechanics and Intraoperative Ventilator Induced Lung Injury
The University of Vermont and State Agricultural College
Burlington, VT
Laura Downey, MD
Characterizing platelet function in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
Read Dr. Downey’s abstract
Read Interview with Dr. Downey
Catherine Duclos, PhD
Using anesthesia to predict recovery from disorders of consciousness
McGill University Health Centre
Montreal, Québec, Canada
Read Dr. Duclos’ abstract
Read Interview with Dr. Duclos
Kendall Smith, MD, PhD
Role of Transcriptomic Circadian Rhythms in Postoperative Delirium
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
Read Dr. Smith’s abstract
Read Interview with Dr. Smith
Jessica Spence, MD, PhD, FRCPC
Genetic risk prediction of new atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Michael Bokoch, MD, PhDEndothelial Activation by Liver Reperfusion Injury in Transplantation
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Catharina Conrad, MD, PhD
Protease Profiling for Rapid Phenotyping and Monitoring of ARDS
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Kamrouz Ghadimi, MD
Right Ventricular Metabolic Dysregulation after Surgery for Heart Failure
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC
Yusuke Sugasawa, MD, PhD
Structural basis of lipid and anesthetic action on TMEM16 scramblases
Juntendo University School of Medicine
Tokyo, Japan
Benedict Alter, MD, PhDMechanisms and translational application of endogenous analgesia
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA
Lara Crock, PhD, MD
Role of the Microbiome in the Persistence of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Washington University in St. Louis
Saint Louis, MO
Benjamin Steinberg, MD, PhD, FRCPC
The role of pyroptosis in neuropathic pain
The Hospital for Sick Children
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
John Whittle, MD
Preoperative exercise to improve vagal tone (PREVENT) study
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC
Broc Burke, MD, PhDDevelopment of a Real-Time, Bedside, Brain Functional Connectivity Monitor
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
Neil Goldenberg, MD, PhD
The Role of HMGB1 in Pulmonary Hypertension
The Hospital for Sick Children
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Karim Ladha, MD
Peri-Operative Wearables in Elder Recovery after Surgery (POWERS) Trial
University Health Network, Toronto General Hospital
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Kathleen Meacham, MD, PhD
A Wireless System for the Mechanistic Study of Spinal Cord Stimulation
Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine
Saint Louis, MO
Jessica Bowser, PhDTargeting Epithelial Regeneration for Perioperative Organ Protection.
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Houston, Texas
Wayland Cheng, MD, PhD
The Structural Basis of Neurosteroid Binding to the GABA(A) Receptor.
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
Jamie Privratsky, MD, PhD
The role of macrophage IL-1 signaling in acute kidney injury and recovery
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina
Robert Sanders, MBBS, PhD, FRCA
Cognitive Disintegration in Delirium.
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Daniel Mclsaac, M.D., M.P.H., F.R.C.P.CA PSH for the Frail Elderly (Phase 3): Prehabilitation of Frail Elderly
The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Angela Meier, MD, PhD
Anesthesia and Sex Specific, Immune Dependent Impact on Cancer Progression
University of California, San Diego
San Diego, California
Eric Vu, MD
Predictive Analytic Tool for Diagnosis of Coronary Allograft Vasculopathy
This grant is jointly sponsored by SAAA
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas
Wei Zhou, MD, PhD
The Roles and Applications of Orexin/Hypocretin System in Anesthesia
UCSF Medical Center/UCSF Children’s Hospital
San Francisco, California
Charles Brown, IV, MDPrevention and Consequences of Postoperative Delirium
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, Maryland
Laura Cornelissen, PhD
Cerebral Dynamics of General Anesthesia in Childhood
Boston Children’s Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts
Erica P. Lin, MD
Protective anesthetic strategies during neonatal brain ischemia
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Cincinnati, Ohio
Michael W. Manning, PhD, MD
Mechanisms In the Development of Post Operative Atrial Fibrillation
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, North Carolina
Miles Berger, MD, PhDThe trajectory and significance of perioperative changes in AD biomarkers
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, North Carolina
Minjae Kim, MD
Assessing perioperative comorbidities through latent class analysis
Columbia University Medical Center
New York, New York
Nadia Lunardi, MD, PhD
Anesthesia-induced impairments of developmental synaptic plasticity
University of Virginia School of Medicine
Charlottesville, Virginia
Rene Przkora, MD, PhD
Preconditioning of Older Patients undergoing Hip Joint Replacement Surgery
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Galveston, Texas
Sinziana Avramescu, PhDDo anesthetics exacerbate memory deficits following traumatic brain injury?
University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Gerard Curley, PhD, MB, BCh, BAO
Targeting the MSC-macrophage interaction; optimizing cell therapy for ARDS.
St Michael’s Hospital
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Aeyal Raz, MD, PhD
Pathway specific mechanisms of anesthesia in the cortex.
University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Lin Zou, MD, PhD
Impact of TLR3-cfB signaling on septic cardiomyopathy.
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts
2022
Sunny Lou, MD, PhD
Intelligent Clinical Decision Support for Perioperative Blood Management
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
Wei Ruan, PhD, MD
Circadian cardioprotection: BMAL1/HIF2A complex and co-target amphiregulin
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Houston, TX
Katarina Ruscic, PhD, MD
The Effects of Anesthetics on Lymphatic Vessel Contractility
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, MA
William Tharp, MD, PhD
Impaired Lung Mechanics and Intraoperative Ventilator Induced Lung Injury
The University of Vermont and State Agricultural College
Burlington, VT
2021
Laura Downey, MD
Characterizing platelet function in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
Read Dr. Downey’s abstract
Read Interview with Dr. Downey
Catherine Duclos, PhD
Using anesthesia to predict recovery from disorders of consciousness
McGill University Health Centre
Montreal, Québec, Canada
Read Dr. Duclos’ abstract
Read Interview with Dr. Duclos
Kendall Smith, MD, PhD
Role of Transcriptomic Circadian Rhythms in Postoperative Delirium
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
Read Dr. Smith’s abstract
Read Interview with Dr. Smith
Jessica Spence, MD, PhD, FRCPC
Genetic risk prediction of new atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
2020
Michael Bokoch, MD, PhDEndothelial Activation by Liver Reperfusion Injury in Transplantation
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Catharina Conrad, MD, PhD
Protease Profiling for Rapid Phenotyping and Monitoring of ARDS
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Kamrouz Ghadimi, MD
Right Ventricular Metabolic Dysregulation after Surgery for Heart Failure
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC
Yusuke Sugasawa, MD, PhD
Structural basis of lipid and anesthetic action on TMEM16 scramblases
Juntendo University School of Medicine
Tokyo, Japan
2019
Benedict Alter, MD, PhDMechanisms and translational application of endogenous analgesia
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA
Lara Crock, PhD, MD
Role of the Microbiome in the Persistence of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Washington University in St. Louis
Saint Louis, MO
Benjamin Steinberg, MD, PhD, FRCPC
The role of pyroptosis in neuropathic pain
The Hospital for Sick Children
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
John Whittle, MD
Preoperative exercise to improve vagal tone (PREVENT) study
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC
2018
Broc Burke, MD, PhDDevelopment of a Real-Time, Bedside, Brain Functional Connectivity Monitor
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
Neil Goldenberg, MD, PhD
The Role of HMGB1 in Pulmonary Hypertension
The Hospital for Sick Children
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Karim Ladha, MD
Peri-Operative Wearables in Elder Recovery after Surgery (POWERS) Trial
University Health Network, Toronto General Hospital
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Kathleen Meacham, MD, PhD
A Wireless System for the Mechanistic Study of Spinal Cord Stimulation
Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine
Saint Louis, MO
2017
Jessica Bowser, PhDTargeting Epithelial Regeneration for Perioperative Organ Protection.
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Houston, Texas
Wayland Cheng, MD, PhD
The Structural Basis of Neurosteroid Binding to the GABA(A) Receptor.
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
Jamie Privratsky, MD, PhD
The role of macrophage IL-1 signaling in acute kidney injury and recovery
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina
Robert Sanders, MBBS, PhD, FRCA
Cognitive Disintegration in Delirium.
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
2016
Daniel Mclsaac, M.D., M.P.H., F.R.C.P.CA PSH for the Frail Elderly (Phase 3): Prehabilitation of Frail Elderly
The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Angela Meier, MD, PhD
Anesthesia and Sex Specific, Immune Dependent Impact on Cancer Progression
University of California, San Diego
San Diego, California
Eric Vu, MD
Predictive Analytic Tool for Diagnosis of Coronary Allograft Vasculopathy
This grant is jointly sponsored by SAAA
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas
Wei Zhou, MD, PhD
The Roles and Applications of Orexin/Hypocretin System in Anesthesia
UCSF Medical Center/UCSF Children’s Hospital
San Francisco, California
2015
Charles Brown, IV, MDPrevention and Consequences of Postoperative Delirium
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, Maryland
Laura Cornelissen, PhD
Cerebral Dynamics of General Anesthesia in Childhood
Boston Children’s Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts
Erica P. Lin, MD
Protective anesthetic strategies during neonatal brain ischemia
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Cincinnati, Ohio
Michael W. Manning, PhD, MD
Mechanisms In the Development of Post Operative Atrial Fibrillation
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, North Carolina
2014
Miles Berger, MD, PhDThe trajectory and significance of perioperative changes in AD biomarkers
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, North Carolina
Minjae Kim, MD
Assessing perioperative comorbidities through latent class analysis
Columbia University Medical Center
New York, New York
Nadia Lunardi, MD, PhD
Anesthesia-induced impairments of developmental synaptic plasticity
University of Virginia School of Medicine
Charlottesville, Virginia
Rene Przkora, MD, PhD
Preconditioning of Older Patients undergoing Hip Joint Replacement Surgery
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Galveston, Texas
2013
Sinziana Avramescu, PhDDo anesthetics exacerbate memory deficits following traumatic brain injury?
University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Gerard Curley, PhD, MB, BCh, BAO
Targeting the MSC-macrophage interaction; optimizing cell therapy for ARDS.
St Michael’s Hospital
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Aeyal Raz, MD, PhD
Pathway specific mechanisms of anesthesia in the cortex.
University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Lin Zou, MD, PhD
Impact of TLR3-cfB signaling on septic cardiomyopathy.
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts
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San Francisco, CA 94105
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