The 22nd Annual Safar Symposium addressed the “The Safar Vision II: Searching for Breakthroughs in Acute Brain Injury.”
The 22nd Annual Safar Symposium was held at the University of Pittsburgh on May 15-16, 2025. The morning of the first day of the symposium was held at the University Club and addressed the “The Safar Vision II: Searching for Breakthroughs in Acute Brain Injury.” Given that Dr. Patrick Kochanek has chosen to step down as Safar Center director after 31 years, the session featured presentations by many of his former mentees who are now established investigators and/or program directors nationally. It was followed at noon by the 44th Peter and Eva Safar Lecture for the Sciences and Humanities, given by Dr. Kochanek. An afternoon Multi-Departmental Trainees’ Research Day session featured 53 poster presentations by trainees from the departments of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Neurological Surgery and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. On day two, the symposium moved to the Winter Institute for Simulation Education and Research and addressed the topic of “Transforming Pediatric Care Through Simulation.” There were over 210 in-person and virtual registrants. Selected highlights are shown below.
Dr. Kochanek with his former trainees and moderators who presented at the morning session “The Safar Vision II: Searching for Breakthroughs in Acute Brain Injury.” From the left, Drs. Clifton Callaway, Anthony Kline and Ed Dixon (all from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine), Ruchira Jha (Barrow Neurological Institute), Mioara Manole and Amy Wagner (University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine), Hülya Bayır (Columbia University), Ericka Fink and Robert Clark (University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine), Michael Bell (UT Southwestern), Michael Whalen (Harvard Medical School), and Dennis Simon (University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine). Missing is Dr. Rachel Berger (Office of Children, Youth, and Families in the PA Department of Human Services).
Patrick Kochanek, MD, presented the 44th Peter and Eva Safar Lecture. His presentation was titled “Mentoring the Mentors in Neurocritical Care.” Dr. Kochanek is Distinguished Professor of Critical Care Medicine and Vice Chairman of the Department of Critical Care Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Eleni Moschonas, PhD received the 23rd Nancy Caroline award presented by Safar Center Director Patrick Kochanek, MD, to the top trainee at the Safar Center in 2025. Dr. Moschonas’ research focuses on investigating neurotransmitter dynamics and synaptic vulnerability following experimental traumatic brain injury, using in vivo neurochemical sampling, high-resolution imaging, and molecular approaches to identify mechanisms of cognitive dysfunction and therapeutic targets.
Youming Li received the 6th S. William Stezoski Award for technician excellence at the Safar Center. Youming has been an integral part of Dr. C. Edward Dixon’s team at the Center for over 25 years. She has co-authored 13 peer-reviewed publications and 50 abstracts as well as generated preliminary data that led to numerous funded grants.
Pitt Medical student, Hadi Daher, presenting his poster to be judged titled “Smart cuff for multi-parameter hemodynamic monitoring: An initial non-invasive approach to cardiac output trend estimation” at the Multi-Departmental Trainees’ Research Day session. Hadi won the top prize for poster presentation in the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine. Additional winners included Aleksander Bearden, who won 2nd place in the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Ivan Saraiva from Critical Care Medicine, Annabelle Tosh from Emergency Medicine, Arnav Mehra from Neurological Surgery, and Ria Vangala from Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, who all won first place in their respective departments.
Photo of Dr. Kochanek and his many mentees, collaborators, and staff who attended the 2025 Safar Symposium.
Speakers and moderators from the session on “Transforming Pediatric Care Through Simulation” at the Winter Institute for Simulation, Education, and Research. From left to right Bianca Caruso, Drs. Alyssa Vigliotti and Advait Kothare (University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine), Jared Henricksen (University of Utah), Patrick Kochanek, John O’Donnell, Paul Phrampus, and Melinda Fiedor Hamilton (all from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine), and in front, Dr. Jennifer Arnold (Boston Children’s Hospital).