Beverley A. Orser

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Beverley A. Orser
CitizenshipCanada
OccupationProfessor
Academic background
EducationMD, 1981, Queen's University at Kingston
PhD, medical science, 1995, University of Toronto
Academic work
InstitutionsUniversity of Toronto
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Websiteorserlab.com

Beverley Anne Orser OOnt is a Canadian anesthesiologist. As a professor at the University of Toronto, Orser was elected a member of the National Academy of Medicine for "her discovery of the unique pharmacological properties of extrasynaptic GABA-A receptors and their mechanistic role in anesthetic- and inflammation-induced impairment of memory, and for her leadership in academic anesthesiology.

Early life and education[edit]

Born and raised in Canada, Orser lived in multiple cities in Ontario and Quebec.[1] Orser received her medical degree from Queen's University at Kingston in 1981 and subsequently earned a Fellowship from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Upon completing her fellowship, she earned a PhD in medical science from the University of Toronto (U of T) and completed her postgraduate clinical training at the Royal Columbian Hospital in British Columbia, McMaster University in Hamilton, Oxford University, and U of T.[2]

Career[edit]

Upon completing her PhD, Orser joined the faculty at U of T where she focused her research on the molecular mechanisms of anesthetic agents. In the 1990s, her research cultivated in the observation that tonic GABAA currents in hippocampal neurons have distinct functional and pharmacologic properties.[1] In 2003, Orser became the first Canada Research Chair in Anesthesia where she conducted research on her project Anesthetic Drugs: From Molecular Mechanisms to Patient Safety.[2] During her tenure at U of T, she co-established the Perioperative Brain Health Centre at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre[3] to determine what causes brain problems following surgery.[4] As a result, in 2017, Orser gained a United States patent for a class of drugs that helps patients with memory loss due to anesthesia and funding basic research.[5]

In 2018, Orser was elected a member of the National Academy of Medicine for "her discovery of the unique pharmacological properties of extrasynaptic GABA-A receptors and their mechanistic role in anesthetic- and inflammation-induced impairment of memory, and for her leadership in academic anesthesiology."[6] She was also recognized by the American Society of Anesthesiologists with their 2018 Excellence in Research Award in recognition of her "outstanding research accomplishments on the molecular mechanisms of anesthetic agents."[7]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Orser published Recommendations for Endotracheal Intubation of COVID-19 Patients[8] and Locating and repurposing anesthetic machines as intensive care unit ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] She later received the 2020 Canadian College of Neuropsychopharmacology Medal for having a "meritorious career in, and outstanding contribution to, neuropsychopharmacology in Canada as evidenced by their activities in education, administration and/or patient care."[10] Orser was made a Member of the Order of Ontario for the class of 2022.[11]

Personal life[edit]

Orser and her husband Geordie have three children together, Kevin, Becky, and Sarah.[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Evers, Alex S. (October 2018). "Beverley A. Orser, M.D., Ph.D., F.R.C.P.C., F.C.A.H.S., Recipient of the 2018 Excellence in Research Award". Anesthesiology. 129 (4): 644–645. doi:10.1097/ALN.0000000000002380. S2CID 81940546. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Dr. Beverley Orser". Critical Care Toronto. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  3. ^ "Beverley A. Orser, MD, PhD, FRCPC". Sunnybrook. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  4. ^ Moneo, Shannon (April 26, 2017). "Waking up to the complexities of anesthesia". Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  5. ^ Robinson, Jennifer (February 9, 2017). "New U of T patent targets brain fog left behind by anesthesia". University of Toronto. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  6. ^ "National Academy of Medicine Elects 85 New Members". National Academy of Medicine. October 15, 2018. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  7. ^ "American Society of Anesthesiologists recognizes Beverley A. Orser, M.D., Ph.D., FRCPC, FCAHS, with its Excellence in Research Award". American Society of Anesthesiologists. October 15, 2018. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  8. ^ Orser, Beverley A. (May 2020). "Recommendations for Endotracheal Intubation of COVID-19 Patients". Anesthesia & Analgesia. 130 (5): 1109–1110. doi:10.1213/ANE.0000000000004803. PMC 7172572. PMID 32209810. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  9. ^ Orser, Beverley A.; Byrick, Robert; Cooper, Richard (April 14, 2020). "Locating and repurposing anesthetic machines as intensive care unit ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic". Canadian Journal of Anesthesia. 67 (8): 1066–1067. doi:10.1007/s12630-020-01657-w. PMC 7155948. PMID 32291633. S2CID 215761344.
  10. ^ "Congratulations to Dr. Beverley Orser". Sunnybrook. April 2, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  11. ^ "The 2022 Appointees to the Order of Ontario". Ontario.ca (Press release). November 6, 2023.

External links[edit]

Beverley A. Orser publications indexed by Google Scholar

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