Featured Anesthesiology Members

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: July 2025

Titi (they/them pronouns) is from Yorubaland (Ondo, Nigeria) and is currently a PhD student in the molecular genetics & genomics program. Before coming to WashU Medicine, Titi graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from Georgia State University. During their undergrad career, they mostly focused on computational neuroscience but became interested in genomics and its applications to precision medicine through a SURP at Medical University of South Carolina. This interest was further developed through the OGR program at MGI where they narrowed down their interest to the genetic etiology of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. They are co-mentored by Drs. Joe Dougherty and Meaghan Creed on a collaborative project focused on exploring the epigenetic and transcriptomic landscape of ventral pallidum cells in the context of opioid self-administration mouse models. In their free time, they love community organizing, exploring the local culinary and music scenes, working as a harm reduction consultant at UMSL-MIMH’s Addiction Science Team, dreaming of becoming a DJ on the side, taking nature walks, and cuddling with their cat.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: February 2022

Zekeriyya (aka Zek) was born and raised in Ankara, Turkey. He attended Medical School of Ankara University where he obtained his MD degree. He joined Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation of Ankara University for his Anesthesia training. He joined the same department as a Specialist in Anesthesia in 2000. Zek specialized in different clinical work and studies in solid organ transplantation, airway management and teaching-assessment in Anesthesia training. He obtained his board certifications from Turkish Anesthesiology and Reanimation Society and European Society of Anesthesiology (ESA) in 2005 and 2006, respectively. He contributed to the ESA as Examination Committee Member and Council member starting 2008 till 2017. He hosted Part I and Online Assessment of European Board Exam in Ankara for many years, translated the exam into Turkish, wrote and reviewed exam content, examined as an examiner and senior examiner for Part II exam all around different exam center in Europe. He is still contributing to the ESA and Turkish Board mission as an examiner for online oral board exams. He served at the University of Ankara as an Associate and afterward as a Full Professor for more than 12 years. He was appointed as the Co-Director of the Cebeci Hospital of Ankara University and served almost 6.5 years till he departed for WashU in 2018. He officially retired from his position at the Ankara University in the summer of 2020 after serving 25 years.

Zek’s involvement with WashU goes back to 2007/2008. He joined the International Specialist program at WashU in 2007 but returned to Turkey in 2008. He and his family never forgot their time, friends and great memories in St. Louis and returned to St. Louis in 2018. It was of course very attractive to work again for WashU for many reasons, including the outstanding opportunity to watch live St. Louis Cardinals games with his youngest son at baseball heaven, Busch Stadium.

Zek played basketball for many years and still enjoys watching the sport. He also supports his hometown soccer team, AnkaraGucu, by hanging its flag on the main entrance of his home, enjoys his free time with his family of two young gentlemen and his wife, Betul. The Alanoglu family always misses their beloved daughter who lives in Turkey and studies Psychology.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: November 2019

Mark is a third-year resident originally from Orlando, FL. He completed the Medical Scholars Program at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, earning an M.D. and a Ph.D. in Computational Biophysics. He is on the ASAP Residency Research Track and is looking forward to starting his Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology fellowship next year. His research interests are focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms of general anesthesia and developing new computational tools to tackle biomedical problems. When not training to be a future leader in the field of Anesthesiology, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Rachael, and daughter, Eleanor, as well as playing bass guitar.

Department of Anesthesiology – FAS Employee of the Quarter: January 2024

Kelsey Arends is a member of the Marketing & Communications team within the Department of Anesthesiology at WashU Medicine. With a Bachelor of Journalism from the Missouri School of Journalism, Kelsey thrives on the art of storytelling and content creation, crafting captivating stories that bring her colleagues’ work to life.

Prior to transitioning to the Medical School, Kelsey served on the Danforth Campus in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions as a marketing and communications strategist. During this time, she pursued her MBA part-time at Olin Business School, graduating in 2023. She has enjoyed using this new skillset in her role at WUDA.

In her free time, Kelsey enjoys being outside, whether that’s running, walking her dog, Willa, traveling to places where she can hike, reading a good book, or spending time with the people she loves in the sunshine. She is running 50 (half or full) marathons in every state, so you can find her running the perimeter of Forest Park on any given morning.

Kelsey is so thankful to work with such amazing colleagues and is honored to be the Q2 2024 Employee of the Quarter. She is looking forward to many more years at WashU!