The 2026 University of Florida Department of Anesthesiology Celebration of Research will be held on Thursday, March 5. This annual event highlights the broad spectrum of research within the department, including basic science, case reports, quality improvement, clinical trials, and education. Over the last year, a number of department members have published research they presented as abstracts and posters at the previous Celebration of Research.
The winner of the Top Case Study, Case Series, or Chart Review Abstract award at last year’s event was “The Preoperative Phases of the Perioperative Cognitive Anesthesia Network for Older Adults Electing Surgery: Results from an Observational Cohort.” Co-authored by Catherine Price, Ph.D., Juliana Burt, M.S., Shawna Amini, MPH, Franchesca Arias, Ph.D., Basma Mohamed, M.D., Christoph Seubert, M.D., and Cynthia Garvan, Ph.D., this research was published in Anesthesia & Analgesia in March 2025. The study illustrated the value of preoperative anesthesiology and neuropsychology teams in providing cognitive screening and referrals, highlighting the substantial unmet cognitive health‑care needs among older surgical candidates.
“Ambulatory Surgery During Intravenous Fluid Shortage-A Potential Cost Saving and Sustainable Strategy for the Future?” was published by Anesthesia & Analgesia in July 2025. It was co-authored by Abigail Schirmer, M.D., Nina Sharifi, B.S., Olga Nin, M.D., Laurie Davies, M.D., Joseph AbuRahma, M.D., and Lauren Berkow, M.D. In this letter to the editor, the authors reviewed how the shutdown of Baxter International’s North Cove IV‑fluid site in the wake of Hurricane Helene led to hospitals implementing conservation protocols to reduce the use of IV fluids in ambulatory surgery centers. They discussed how these strategies allowed for more efficient resource allocation and cost savings without compromising patient safety.
In September 2025, Anesthesiology published “The Contribution of the Brain-Gut-Microbiome Axis to Intergenerational Abnormalities in a Rat Model of Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorder.” co-authored by Zeeshan Khan, Ph.D., Rajendra Labala, Ph.D., Ling-Sha Ju, Ph.D., Nikolaus Gravenstein, M.D., Barry Setlow, Ph.D., and Anatoly Martynyuk, Ph.D. They reported that paternal exposure to sevoflurane in rats produced brain-gut-microbiome abnormalities in their offspring, even though the offspring were never directly exposed to sevoflurane. However, most of these intergenerational effects were mitigated by paternal pretreatment with the Na+-K+-Cl− inhibitor bumetanide or the glucocorticoid receptor blocker RU486 before anesthesia, suggesting a potential therapeutic strategy.
Additionally, several other studies that were first presented at last year’s Celebration of Research have been accepted for publication. These include:
- Kotadia M, Sagheer H, Samouce C, Kavelak H, Ahn R, Lampotang S, Gravenstein N. Effect of Catheter Advancement Technique on Needle Tip Motion During Peripheral Intravenous Insertion. J Vasc Access. Forthcoming.
- Schutte S, Ihnatsenka B, Samouce C, Chembrovich S, Jimenez Ruiz F, Zasimovich Y, Luria I, Walker K, Lizdas D, Ahn JR, Lampotang S. Teaching Novices Ultrasound-Assisted Neuraxial Procedures Using Simulation-Based Courses: A Proof of Concept. J Educ Periop Med. Forthcoming.
- Mather A, Zachary J, Singh Ospina N, Acosta Garcia GJ, Lampotang S, Samouce C. Mixed Reality Simulator for Ultrasound-Guided Thyroid Nodule Radiofrequency Ablation. Int J Comput Assist Radiol Surg. Forthcoming.
The 2026 UF Department of Anesthesiology Celebration of Research will be held on Thursday, March 5, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the 8th Floor Conference Room of the UF Health Heart and Vascular Hospital. Research posters will be available for viewing starting at 4:00 p.m., with abstract winner presentations to follow at 5:00 p.m. A keynote address by Vesna Jevtović‑Todorović, MD, PhD, MBA, titled “Early Exposure to General Anesthesia – How Sensitive Is Our Young Brain?,” will take place at 6:00 p.m.
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KEY POINTS
- The University of Florida Department of Anesthesiology will host its 2026 Celebration of Research on Thursday, March 5, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- The event will take place in the 8th‑floor Conference Room of the UF Health Heart & Vascular Hospital, with research posters on display starting at 4:00 p.m. and winning abstracts presented at 5:00 p.m.
- Research presented at last year’s event has since been published or is forthcoming in journals such as Anesthesiology, Anesthesia & Analgesia, International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery, and others.
- The keynote address, “Early Exposure to General Anesthesia – How Sensitive Is Our Young Brain?,” will be delivered by Vesna Jevtović‑Todorović, MD, PhD, MBA, at 6:00 p.m.
- The celebration offers a preview of forthcoming publications and highlights the department’s continued impact on perioperative medicine.