FAER at ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2025

Original Publication Date: July 1, 2025
Last Updated: July 10, 2025

The Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER) is excited to share the sessions we have planned for ANESTHESIOLOGY 2025 in San Antonio this October. We encourage you to join us for the sessions detailed below and we look forward to seeing you at this year’s meeting.

Please note that the information may be updated prior to ANESTHESIOLOGY kicking off this October. Check back regularly for the most up-to-date information!

Click here to register for ANESTHESIOLOGY 2025.

Saturday, October 11, FAER Sessions

• 25^th Annual FAER-Helrich Research Lecture: Activating the Brain’s Arousal Systems to Reverse Drug-induced Unconsciousness

• FAER Panel: The Neuroscience of Anesthesia and Consciousness

Sunday, October 12 FAER Sessions

• FAER/eSAS: “My First….” – Major Milestones Early in a Research Career

• FAER/eSAS: Questions & Answers: Important Considerations for a Career in Anesthesiology Research

• FAER/ARMA Sponsored Mentoring Session: Finding the Right Research Question & Path, Right Environment & Culture, and Right Mentor

• FAER Medical Student and Resident Research Poster Presentations

Featured Lectures and Panels

25^th Annual FAER-Helrich Research Lecture: Activating the Brain’s Arousal Systems to Reverse Drug-induced Unconsciousness
Saturday, October 11 | 9:45 – 10:45 a.m. CDT | Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center; 205, Meeting Level

Lecturer: Ken Solt, MD

The FAER-Helrich Research Lecture recognizes outstanding scholarship by a scientist and is part of FAER’s ongoing effort to encourage early career anesthesiologists and trainees to consider careers in research and teaching.

Emergence from general anesthesia is a relatively slow process governed by the pharmacokinetics of drug clearance. Although pharmacological reversal agents are available for numerous classes of drugs including neuromuscular blockers, anticoagulants, opioids, and benzodiazepines, there are no reversal agents available for general anesthetics. In this session, we will explore recent findings demonstrating that reversing anesthetic-induced unconsciousness may be feasible by activating the brain's endogenous arousal systems.

Learning objectives for this lecture include the ability to:

• Describe the neurotransmitters and pathways in the brain that promote wakefulness.
• Describe recent work demonstrating that subcortical arousal circuits are involved in anesthetic emergence.
• Understand that activating specific arousal circuits may promote emergence and cognitive recovery from general anesthesia.

FAER Panel: The Neuroscience of Anesthesia and Consciousness 
Saturday, October 11 | 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. CDT | Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center; 205, Meeting Level

Moderator: Ken Solt, MD

Topics and Speakers:

• Network Mechanisms of Anesthesia
  Speaker: Alex Proekt, MD, PhD

• Neural Circuits of Post-Anesthetic Cognitive Recovery
  Speaker: Kathleen Vincent, PhD

• Psychedelics, Anesthesia, and Dreaming
  Speaker: Boris Heifets, MD, PhD

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the neuroscientific underpinnings of consciousness, and anesthesia research has played a pivotal role in these efforts. In this session, three neuroscientists will present their latest findings on neural circuit mechanisms of anesthetic-induced unconsciousness, cognitive recovery from general anesthesia, and altered states of consciousness.

Learning objectives for this panel include the ability to:

• Describe network mechanisms of anesthetic-induced unconsciousness.
• Describe neural circuits involved in post-anesthetic cognitive recovery.
• Describe mechanisms underlying altered states of consciousness.

FAER/eSAS: A Day for New Researchers

FAER/eSAS: “My First….” – Major Milestones Early in a Research Career
Sunday, October 12 | 8 – 9 a.m. CDT | Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center; 007ABCD, River Level

Moderator: Saul Siller, MD, PhD

Topics and Speakers:

• My First Paper
  Speaker: Lisa Rong, MD, MSc

• My First Grant
  Speaker: Emmett Whitaker, MD

• My First Faculty Job
  Speaker:  Daniel Larach, MD, MSTR

In this panel, three investigators will address how they navigated three early milestones in their research careers. The panelists will provide information on how they navigated their first major manuscript, a first grant funding and finally their first faculty job. Through this discussion the panelists will reflect on lessons learned and how this has contributed to the next phase of their career.

Learning objectives for this session include the ability to:

• Identify early key decisions in research careers.
• Describe impact of selection of research subject areas.
• Differentiate between types of research funding.
• Assess key considerations in the selection of job opportunities.

FAER/eSAS: Questions & Answers: Important Considerations for a Career in Anesthesiology Research
Sunday, October 12 | 9:15 – 10:15 a.m. CDT | Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center; 007ABCD, River Level

Moderator: Allison Janda, MD

Speakers:

• Benedict Alter, MD, PhD

• Vivianne Tawfik, MD, PhD

• Robert Schonberger, MD, MHCDS

In this interactive panel, three faculty members with roles in the development of new faculty and researchers will provide their perspectives on the key issues facing medical students and residents embarking on a research career. Questions will address issues such as research training, mentorship and selection of areas of investigations. Prior to the meeting we will solicit questions from the FAER scholars in attendance.

Learning objectives for this session include the ability to:

• Describe approaches for identifying areas of scientific investigation.
• Compare different types of mentorship which are significant in early career investigators’ success.
• Appraise opportunities for receiving research training during medical school, residency and fellowship.

FAER/ARMA Sponsored Mentoring Session: Finding the Right Research Question & Path, Right Environment & Culture, and Right Mentor
Sunday, October 12 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. CDT | Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center; 007ABCD, River Level

Moderator: Pamela Flood, MD, MA

Speakers: TBD

This 60-minute session will consist of two parts. The first 10 minutes will be a presentation. The topics which will be covered are: 1) Finding the right research question & path, 2) Finding the right environment & culture, and 3) Finding the right mentor.

We will then have breakout tables with table captains who are experienced academic mentors for a more personal discussion with attendees. If you’ve ever wondered what mentors expect of trainees or wished to become a better mentor yourself, this FAER Academy of Research Mentors in Anesthesiology session run by highly successful clinician scientists is geared specifically for you. A major highlight of this panel is the opportunity for participants to hear from experts and also have small group and personal discussions.

Learning objectives for this panel include the ability to:

• Maximize the mentor mentee relationship and clarify common misperceptions about the mentor-mentee relationship.

FAER Medical Student and Resident Research Poster Presentations
Sunday, October 12 | 1 – 4:15 p.m. CDT | Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center; 007ABCD, River Level

MSARF Poster Presentations: 1 - 2 p.m. CDT
RSP Poster Presentations: 2:45 - 3:45 p.m. CDT
Awards Ceremony: 4 - 4:15 p.m. CDT

Moderator: Chad M. Brummett, MD

The FAER Medical Student and Resident Poster Presentations brings together FAER sponsored Medical Student Anesthesia Research Fellows (MSARF) and Resident Scholar Program (RSP) participants to present their research projects conducted in anesthesiology departments across the nation. Medical students have been directly supported by FAER for a summer-long research experience at their own or another medical university and both students and residents are required to present scholarly activity projects with strong preference for original research. Students and residents will be together for more effective networking and mentoring opportunities among young trainees in order to better expose them to major research topics in advancing the field of anesthesiology.

THE FOUNDATION FOR ANESTHESIA EDUCATION AND RESEARCH (FAER)
FAER is a related foundation of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). For over 35 years, FAER has been dedicated to developing the next generation of physician-investigators in anesthesiology. Charitable contributions and support to FAER help fuel the future of anesthesiology through scientific discovery. Funding priorities include: Research, Education, and Training. At the time of this article's publication, FAER has awarded more than $59 million in research grants and programs since 1986. To donate to FAER, visit FAER.org/donate.