Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine >> Administration >> Faculty on the Executive Committee

Faculty & Staff Directories:
Our Faculty on the Executive Committee

The UW Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine is a strong organization due to the dedication and hard work of 5 Hospital/Clinical Chiefs based at Seattle Children's, UWMC, Harborview, Puget Sound VA, and Pain Program, as well as 5 Vice-Chairs/M&M Director focused on academic and research aspects of the department. In addition, increasingly Division Chiefs are being called upon to provide leadership for clinical expertise across hospitals. As the department grows it is vital to maintain open lines of communication across all faculty. To accomplish this goal, the Executive Committee was created in 2008; this group meets bi-monthly throughout the year, immediately after Grand Rounds. The Executive Committee provides broad-based and subspecialty-specific expert opinion on key decisions, as well as a cadre of individuals informed about the latest events who can then pass this information along to faculty at their main clinical or research site. This organizational structure provides both leadership and an informed faculty. Committee members are listed below.

Chair

  • Schwinn, Debra A., MD Professor & Chair
    Regular Faculty
    photo of faculty member

    Debra A. Schwinn, MD

    Professor & Chair, Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine;
    Adjunct Professor, Pharmacology;
    Adjunct Professor, Genome Sciences

    dschwinn@u.washington.edu

    Clinical Interests: Cardiothoracic anesthesiology, general anesthesiology, patient outcome after surgery and clinical outcomes.

    Research Interests: Molecular pharmacology of stress receptors and perioperative genomics (the influence of genetics on surgery outcome).

    Personal Interests: Novels and violin.

    UW Medicine Bio | Schwinn Lab Website

Hospital & Pain Chiefs

University of Washington Medical Center

  • Artru, Alan, MD Professor & Chief (UWMC Clinical Svs.), UWMC
    Regular Faculty
    photo of faculty member

    Alan Artru, MD

    Professor, Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine
    Chief, Clinical Anesthesiology Services
    Associate Medical Director for Perioperative Services

    artruaa@uw.edu

    Primary Location: UW Medical Center

    Clinical Interests: Cerebral blood flow and metabolism, cerebrospinal fluid dynamics, CNS pharmacokinetics, aqueous humor dynamics.

    Personal Interests: Church, basketball, politics, hiking.

    UW Medicine Bio

Pain Medicine

  • Cahana, Alex, MD, DAAPM, MEthics Professor & Chief (Pain Medicine), UWMC
    Regular Faculty
    photo of faculty member

    Alex Cahana, MD, DAAPM, MEthics

    Professor & Chief of the Division of Pain Medicine,
    Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine;
    Adjunct Professor, Bioethics & Humanities

    acahana@uw.edu

    Primary Location: UW Medical Center

    Teaching Interests: To explain the difference between pain as a byproduct of disease and as a disease in its own right.

    Clinical Interests: Helping patients who suffer from persistent pain by using cutting-edge technology and exploring innovative devices to provide greater relief.

    Research Interests: He is passionate about seeking answers to the question "Why does pain hurt?" and is involved in phenotyping and genotyping pain patients into different risk groups.

    Personal Interests: Reading, mixed martial arts and Bikram yoga.

    UW Medicine Bio | Personal Bio (pdf)

Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System

  • Minhaj, Mohammed M., MD, Associate Professor & Chief (VA Clinical Svs), VAPSHCS
    Regular Faculty
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    Mohammed M. Minhaj, MD

    Associate Professor,
    Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine;
    Chief, VA Clinical Svs,
    Director, Cardiac Anesthesiology, VAPSHCS

    mminhaj@uw.edu

    Primary Location: VA Puget Sound HCS

Seattle Children's Hospital

  • Martin, Lynn D., MD Professor & Director, SCH Clinical Svs, SCH
    Regular Faculty
    photo of faculty member

    Lynn D. Martin, MD

    Professor, Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine
    Adjunct Professor, Pediatrics
    Director, Department of Anesthesiology
    & Pain Medicine, Seattle Children's;
    Medical Director, Bellevue Clinics and Surgery Center

    lynn.martin@seattlechildrens.org

    Primary Location: Seattle Children's Hospital

    Professional Interests: Pediatric anesthesia and critical care medicine. Research is focused on outcomes from regional anesthesia and quality/process improvement in the pediatric healthcare setting. Currently serving as Vice-President/President elect for the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia (will become president October, 2010).

    Personal Interests: Running, all outdoor activities, and spending time with his wife and 3 daughters.

    Seattle Children's Bio

Harborview Medical Center

  • Souter, Michael J., MB ChB, FRCA Professor & Chief (HMC Clinical Svs), HMC
    Regular Faculty
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    Michael J. Souter, MB ChB, FRCA

    Professor, Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine;
    Chief, HMC Anesthesiology Clinical Services;
    Adjunct Professor, Neurosurgery;
    Head, Neuroanesthesia Division,
    Medical Co-Director, NeuroCritical Care Service,
    Harborview Medical Center

    msouter@uw.edu

    Primary Location: Harborview Medical Center

    Research Interests: Neuroanesthesia with neurophysiology and monitoring, critical care of subarachnoid hemorrhage and traumatic brain injury, information technology in anesthesia & medicine, monitoring technology in anesthesia & critical care medicine.

    Personal Interests: Scuba diving (divemaster, mixed gases, closed circuit rebreathers), aviation (Private Pilots License).

    UW Medicine Bio | Community of Science Bio

Clinical & Research Executives

Vice-Chair for Clinical Research

  • Domino, Karen B., MD, MPH Professor & Vice-Chair (Clinical Research), UWMC
    Regular Faculty
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    Karen B. Domino, MD, MPH

    Professor Vice-Chair for Clinical Research,
    Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine
    Adjunct Professor, Neurological Surgery

    kdomino@uw.edu

    Primary Location: UW Medical Center

    Clinical Interests: Pulmonary physiology, quality assurance, neuroanesthesia, trauma anesthesia.

    Personal Interests: Parenting, hiking, camping, cooking, gardening.

    UW Medicine Bio

Vice-Chair for Basic Research

  • Opp, Mark R., PhD Professor & Vice Chair (Basic Research), HMC
    Regular Faculty
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    Mark R. Opp, PhD

    Professor & Vice Chair for Basic Research,
    Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine;
    UW Medicine Research & Education
    Endowed Chair in Anesthesiology

    mopp@u.washington.edu

    Primary Location: Harborview Medical Center

    Teaching Interests: Chronic insufficient sleep as a determinant of outcome; sleep and inflammation; effects of traumatic infection on brain function; sleep and pain

    Personal Interests: Outdoor activities, woodworking .

Vice-Chair for Education

  • Souter, Karen J., MB BS, FRCA Associate Professor & Vice Chair (Education), UWMC
    Regular Faculty
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    Karen J. Souter, MB BS, FRCA

    Associate Professor & Vice Chair for Education,
    Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine;
    Residency Program Director

    kjsouter@uw.edu

    Primary Location: UW Medical Center

    Teaching Interests: Resident education, educational outcomes, teaching and evaluation of residents' skills in the disclosure of adverse outcomes.

    Personal Interests: Opera, flying (PPL), scuba diving.

    UW Medicine Bio

Vice-Chair for Academic Affairs

  • Bhagwanjee, Satish, MB ChB Professor & Vice-Chair (Academic Affairs), UWMC
    Regular Faculty
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    Satish Bhagwanjee, MB ChB

    Professor & Vice-Chair of Academic Affairs,
    Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine

    satsb@uw.edu

    Primary Location: UW Medical Center

    Clinical Interest: Critical care medicine.

    Research Interests: Sepsis, outcome prediction and risk reduction, global health.

    Personal Interests: Tennis, squash, dancing, reading.

    UW Medicine Bio

Director, Mitochondria & Metabolism Center

  • Tian, Rong, MD, PhD Professor & Director (MMC), SLU
    Regular Faculty
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    Rong Tian, MD, PhD

    Director, Mitochondria & Metabolism Center;
    Co-director, NMR Center;
    Professor, Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine;
    Professor, Bioengineering;
    Adjunct Professor, Biochemistry

    rongtian@uw.edu

    Primary Location: Tian Lab, South Lake Union

    Research Interest: Dr. Tian has been studying the molecular mechanisms regulating cardiac metabolism and energetics for about 20 years. She is immensely interested in bi-directional translational research between the bench and the bedside. Her research program is built to move from fundamental questions to rigorous evaluation of in vivo metabolism and physiology in cardiovascular diseases. Dr. Tian is building a multi-disciplinary research center on mitochondria and metabolism to focus on the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in a number of complex human diseases associated with aging, such as cardiovascular and neuro-degenerative diseases, obesity and diabetes, and cancer.

    Community of Science Bio | Tian Lab Website

Chief of Critical Care Medicine

  • Pauldine, Ronald, MD Clinical Professor & Chief (Critical Care Medicine), VAPSHCS
    Regular Faculty
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    Ronald Pauldine, MD

    Clinical Professor & Chief of Critical Care Medicine, Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine; Chief, ICU Medicine Division & Co-Director, SICU, VA Puget Sound HCS

    ronald.pauldine@va.gov

    Primary Location: VA Puget Sound HCS

    UW Medicine Bio

Chief of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology

  • Mackensen, Burkhard, MD PhD Professor & Chief (CT Anesth), UWMC
    Regular Faculty
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    Burkhard Mackensen, MD, PhD

    Professor & Chief (CT Anesth),
    Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine

    gbmac@uw.edu

    Primary Location: UW Medical Center

Director of Obstetrical Anesthesiology

  • Landau, Ruth, MD Professor & Director (OB Anesth. & Clinical Genetics), UWMC
    Regular Faculty
    photo of faculty member

    Ruth Landau, MD

    Professor & Director of Obstetric Anesthesiology & Clinical Genetics, Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine

    rulandau@uw.edu

    Primary Location: UW Medical Center

    Research Interests: Long term effects of post-partum pain on the mother, the effect of pregnancy on pain modulation (pregnancy-induced endogenous analgesia), the influence of genetics on pain perception and labor or post-CS analgesia requirements, and ways to predict who will suffer acute severe pain and potentially chronic pain.

    Personal Interests: Aesthetics, design, contemporary architecture, travel, fitness.

    UW Medicine Bio

Director of Compliance

  • Van Norman, Gail A., MD Professor & Director (Compliance), UWMC
    Regular Faculty
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    Gail A. Van Norman, MD

    Professor and Director of Compliance,
    Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine;
    Director, UWMC Pre-Anesthesia & Surgery Clinic;
    Adjunct Professor of Biomedical Ethics

    gvn@u.washington.edu

    Primary Location: UW Medical Center

    Biographical Summary: Boarded in Internal Medicine, after several years of primary care practice, trained in Anesthesiology. Subspecialty in Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology and extensive experience in organ transplantation. Chair of the American Society of Anesthesiologists' Committee on Ethics.

    Clinical Interests: Medical ethics in clinical practice, preoperative preparation of the surgical patient. Cardiac and transplant anesthesiology.

    Research Interests: Research in advance directives.

    UW Medicine Bio

Director of Finance

  • Dunbar, Peter, MB ChB, MBA Assoc Prof & Director (Finance), HMC
    Regular Faculty
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    Peter Dunbar, MB ChB, MBA

    Associate Professor & Director of Finance,
    Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine
    Adjunct Associate Professor, Health Services

    pjdunbar@uw.edu

    Primary Location: Harborview Medical Center

    Clinical Interests: Electronic medical records, pain and suffering in bone marrow transplant, informatics.

    Personal Interests: Sailing, skiing, flying.

    UW Medicine Bio

Director of Research T32 Fellowship Training

  • Sedensky, Margaret M., MD Professor & Director (Research Fellowship Training), UWMC
    Regular Faculty
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    Margaret M. Sedensky, MD

    Professor & Director of Research Fellowship Training, Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine

    sedenm@u.washington.edu

    Primary Location: UW Medical Center

    Research Interests: My research centers on the mechanism of action of volatile anesthetics. This investigation has led to an interest in mitochondrial biology, with spin offs in the fields of aging and development.

    Seattle Children's Bio

Director of Faculty Fellowships

  • Vavilala, Monica S., MD Professor & Director (Faculty Fellowships), HMC
    Regular Faculty
    photo of faculty member

    Monica S. Vavilala, MD

    Professor & Director of Faculty Fellowships,
    Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine;
    Adjunct Associate Professor, Neurological Surgery;
    Associate Director, Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center (HIPRC)

    vavilala@u.washington.edu

    Primary Location: Harborview Medical Center

    Professional Interests: Interested in epidemiology, pathophysiology and outcomes after trauamtic brain injury.

    UW Medicine Bio | Community of Science Bio

Ad Hoc Faculty Members (5):
(1 faculty member from each hospital, elected by faculty, rotates yearly — 2 years max of service)

Harborview Medical Center

Seattle Children's Hospital

University of Washington Medical Center

  • Natrajan, Krishna M., MB BS, FRCA Cl. Professor, UWMC
    Regular Faculty
    photo of faculty member

    Krishna M. Natrajan, MB BS, FRCA

    Clinical Professor &
    Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine

    natrajan@uw.edu

    Primary Location: UW Medical Center

    Clinical Interest: Computers in medical education, trans-esophageal echo, automated anesthesia records.

    Research Interest: Adult congenital heart disease and trans-esophageal echo in those patients. Special expertise in lung transplant anesthesia, particularly avoiding bypass. Interest in management of pulmonary hypertension patients undergoing anesthesia.

    Personal Interest: Computing, sailing, photography, playing saxophone, cycling.

    UW Medicine Bio

Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System

  • Judge, Lisa M., MD Clinical Associate Professor, VAPSHCS
    Regular Faculty
    photo of faculty member

    Lisa M. Judge, MD

    Clinical Associate Professor,
    Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine

    lisa.judge@va.gov

    Primary Location: VA Puget Sound HCS

Pain Medicine

  • Soulakvelidze, Irakli, MD Assistant Professor, UWMC
    Regular Faculty
    photo of faculty member

    Irakli Soulakvelidze, MD

    Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine

    irakli@uw.edu

    Primary Location: UW Medical Center

    Teaching Interests: Teaching residents and fellows the theory and practice of pain medicine, as well as developing clinical research collaborations with them to answer new clinical questions.

    Clinical Interests: Chronic regional pain syndrome, neuropathic pain and spinal pain.

    Research Interests: To develop a standardized clinical pathway for optimal management of chronic regional pain syndrome. To help improve management of chronic pain in the primary care setting.

    Personal Interests: Spending time with family and friends, reading, traveling and sports.

    UW Medicine Bio


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