Anesthesiology Research

Dr. Bajic received her MD from the Medical School of the University of Belgrade, Serbia and PhD from the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, IL. Her postdoctoral training included: (1) Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, (2) Anesthesia Residency training at Yale New Haven Hospital, Yale University, as well as (3) Pediatric Anesthesia Fellowship at Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard University where she now works as board certified staff anesthesiologist since 2008.

Dr. Bajic’s research concerns clinically relevant problems in pediatric Anesthesia: (1) development of analgesic tolerance to daily administration of opioids, and (2) anesthesia induced neurotoxicity of developing brain. Investigation of ontogeny of adaptations to chronic morphine exposure was possible thanks to the Foundation of Anesthesia Research and Education (FAER) Grant received in 2009, and NIH Support Opportunity for Addiction Research (SOAR) for New Investigators (R03) received in 2010. She has chosen Dr. Kathryn G. Commons as a mentor and Dr. Charles B. Berde as a co-mentor for this proposal. In addition, Dr. Sulpicio G. Soriano provides additional expertise as a consultant on the project. In addition to being certified by an American Board of Anesthesiology as of 2008, Dr. Bajic had extensive formal training in neuroscience that has spanned a period of eight years, dedicated solely to basic science research. She has a broad background in neuroanatomy, behavior and electrophysiology, as well as molecular techniques, with specific training and expertise in key research areas for this project. Also, she is currently in the process of applying for NIH Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (K08) that should represent the foundation for the future independent research program.

Dr. Bajic’s long-term goal is to contribute to a better understanding the mechanisms of opioid tolerance and neurotoxicity that differ with age. This work would be done all in pursuit of improvement of clinical practice in anesthesiology and treatment of pain that might differ with age. Her consistent and outstanding record of productivity has led to publication of several full-length research papers in the premier neuroscience journals in the area of neuroanatomy of pain, neurophysiology, and anesthesiology.