Professor, Anesthesia and Physiology, University of Toronto

Dr. Beverley Orser is Professor of Anesthesia and Physiology at the University of Toronto. She is an award winning and internationally recognized expert on the molecular basis of anesthesia, whose work has challenged prevailing notions about how anesthetics work and stimulated new areas of anesthetic research in laboratories around the world. She has identified receptors that mediate the memory-blocking properties of anesthetics and has developed strategies to prevent persistent memory loss associated with anesthesia and inflammation. A leading advocate for patient safety, Dr. Orser co-founded the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada and has served as an advisor to health policymakers.