Division of Basic Research | Anesthesiology

The Division of Basic Research (DBR) explores fundamental scientific questions relevant to medicine and Anesthesiology.

Our research encompasses neurobiology, cell biology, and pharmacology with ongoing projects centered around the following areas: understanding mechanisms of hypoxic and immune-mediated cell death, investigating general anesthetic mechanisms, exploring ion channel function, identifying biomarkers of organ injury, uncovering novel intracellular signaling pathways, and studying the neurobiology of stress and addiction.

Our Team

The Division is led by Jose Moron-Concepcion, PhD, the Henry E. Mallinckrodt Professor of Anesthesiology, whose laboratory focuses on understanding the mechanisms underlying opioid addiction and the intersection with pain. Learn more about our team and labs below.

For general research inquiries, please contact the Research Administrative team.

PI Labs

The DBR is located within both the Neuroscience Building and the Clinical Sciences Research Building. Principal investigators are members of the Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences at WashU Medicine and a number of graduate students have completed their thesis work in DBR labs.

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Publications

Faculty in the Division of Basic Research continue to make meaningful contributions to research studies that span a range of topics.

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Upcoming Research Events

Throughout the year, the Division of Basic Research hosts research seminars that offer opportunities for department members to become acquainted with ongoing research projects and engage in dialogue.

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News

Welcome Dr. Kathleen Bickel

Dr. Kathleen Bickel has joined the Department of Anesthesiology as faculty with a split appointment in the Division of Regional and Ambulatory Anesthesia and the Division of Basic Research.

The Impact of Nanodiscs on Ion Channel Structure: Implications for Drug Design in Pain and Anesthesia

New research authored by members of the Wayland Cheng lab reveals the effect of nanodiscs on the structure of ion channels, crucial for pain and anesthesia drugs.

Moron-Concepcion named Mallinckrodt Professor of Anesthesiology

Jose Moron-Concepcion, PhD, a professor of anesthesiology, neuroscience, and psychiatry, was installed as the Henry Elliot Mallinckrodt Professor of Anesthesiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis on Thursday, September 28, 2023.