IARS Mentored Research Award

Creating Future Leaders

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

The IARS 2023 Mentored Research Awards application cycle is now closed. Check back for updates on our 2024 cycle.

You may contact [email protected] if you require additional information

Past Recipients

Sunny LouSunny Lou, MD, PhD
Intelligent Clinical Decision Support for Perioperative Blood Management

Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO

Read Dr. Lou’s abstract
Read an Interview with Dr. Lou

 

Wei RuanWei Ruan, PhD, MD
Circadian cardioprotection: BMAL1/HIF2A complex and co-target amphiregulin

The University of Texas Health Center at Houston
Houston, TX

Read Dr. Ruan’s abstract
Read an Interview with Dr. Ruan

 

Katarina RuscicKatarina Ruscic, PhD, MD
The Effects of Anesthetics on Lymphatic Vessel Contractility

Massachusetts General Hospital
Harvard Medical School
Boston, MA

Read Dr. Ruscic’s abstract
Read an Interview with Dr. Ruscic

 

William TharpWilliam Tharp, MD, PhD
Impaired Lung Mechanics and Intraoperative Ventilator Induced Lung Injury

University of Vermont Medical Center (UVM)
Burlington, VT

Read Dr. Tharp’s abstract
Read an Interview with Dr. Tharp

2021 IMRA Award Winner Laura DowneyLaura Downey, MD
Characterizing platelet function in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery

Emory University
Atlanta, GA

Read Dr. Downey’s abstract
Read Interview with Dr. Downey

 

2021 IMRA Winner Catherine DuclosCatherine 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

 

2021 IMRA Award Winner Kendall SmithKendall 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

 

2021 IMRA Award Winner Jessica SpenceJessica Spence, MD, PhD, FRCPC
Genetic risk prediction of new atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery

McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Read Dr. Spence’s abstract
Read Interview with Dr. Spence

Michael Bokoch, MD, PhD
Endothelial 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, PhD
Mechanisms 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, PhD
Development 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, PhD
Targeting 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.C
A 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, MD
Prevention 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, PhD
The 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, PhD
Do 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 LouSunny Lou, MD, PhD
Intelligent Clinical Decision Support for Perioperative Blood Management

Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO

Read Dr. Lou’s abstract
Read an Interview with Dr. Lou

 

Wei RuanWei Ruan, PhD, MD
Circadian cardioprotection: BMAL1/HIF2A complex and co-target amphiregulin

The University of Texas Health Center at Houston
Houston, TX

Read Dr. Ruan’s abstract
Read an Interview with Dr. Ruan

 

Katarina RuscicKatarina Ruscic, PhD, MD
The Effects of Anesthetics on Lymphatic Vessel Contractility

Massachusetts General Hospital
Harvard Medical School
Boston, MA

Read Dr. Ruscic’s abstract
Read an Interview with Dr. Ruscic

 

William TharpWilliam Tharp, MD, PhD
Impaired Lung Mechanics and Intraoperative Ventilator Induced Lung Injury

University of Vermont Medical Center (UVM)
Burlington, VT

Read Dr. Tharp’s abstract
Read an Interview with Dr. Tharp

2021

2021 IMRA Award Winner Laura DowneyLaura Downey, MD
Characterizing platelet function in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery

Emory University
Atlanta, GA

Read Dr. Downey’s abstract
Read Interview with Dr. Downey

 

2021 IMRA Winner Catherine DuclosCatherine 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

 

2021 IMRA Award Winner Kendall SmithKendall 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

 

2021 IMRA Award Winner Jessica SpenceJessica Spence, MD, PhD, FRCPC
Genetic risk prediction of new atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery

McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Read Dr. Spence’s abstract
Read Interview with Dr. Spence

2020
Michael Bokoch, MD, PhD
Endothelial 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, PhD
Mechanisms 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, PhD
Development 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, PhD
Targeting 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.C
A 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, MD
Prevention 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, PhD
The 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, PhD
Do 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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