AUA Highlights: New Members, Leadership, and the 2027 Annual Meeting
We are pleased to share that several members of our department have been nominated to become members of the Association of University Anesthesiologists (AUA), an organization dedicated to advancing excellence in academic anesthesiology through mentorship, inclusivity, and professional development.
Newly Elected AUA Members
Please join us in congratulating our newest AUA members:
- Philipp Lirk, MD, Ph.D.
- David Cattano, M.D., PhD
- Christopher Stephens, MD
- Aubrey Samost-Williams, M.D. (Associate Member)
Nomination to the AUA is a meaningful recognition of academic accomplishment and commitment to the advancement of anesthesiology. We are proud to see our faculty represented among this distinguished group of clinician-scientists and educators.
Continuing Recognition
We also recognize and thank our current and previous AUA members for their leadership and contributions:
- Zhongcong Xie, MD, PhD
- Yandong Jiang, MD, PhD
- Carlos Artime, MD
- Holger Eltzschig, MD, PhD
- Omonele Nwokolo, MD
- Yafen Liang, MD
- Cynthia Ju, PhD
- Daniel Sessler, MD
- Alparslan Turan, MD
- Wei Cao, PhD
- Srikanth (Sri) Sridhar, MD
Their involvement in the AUA reflects a sustained dedication to academic excellence and mentorship within our field.
Congratulations to all of our AUA members for this well-deserved achievement. We look forward to the continued impact of their work on our department and the broader academic anesthesiology community.
Our congratulations also go to Dr. Zhongcong Xie, who was elected as President of the AUA on March 29, 2026, for a two-year term. Dr. Xie expressed his gratitude for the trust placed in him and emphasized the AUA’s enduring mission to advance academic anesthesiology through research, education, mentorship, membership, and leadership. He noted that, amid rapid scientific advances and growing challenges in academic medicine, the AUA remains an essential community for fostering collaboration, developing academic leaders, and advancing discovery and excellence in patient care.
Finally, our department and UTH Houston will host the 2027 AUA Annual Meeting at TMC3 from April 2–4, 2027. The meeting will bring together a distinguished group of speakers, including institutional and university leaders; outstanding clinicians, educators, researchers, and leaders in our specialty; members of the National Academy of Medicine; astronomers; surgeons; NIH officials; and journal editors-in-chief. This gathering will offer opportunities to exchange ideas, explore advances in clinical care, education, and research, and build connections with colleagues across disciplines. We encourage everyone to attend, participate in the discussions, and help us welcome our guests to Houston.
