Dr. Sarah Eagleman is a postdoctoral research fellow conducting research to create and evaluate computational approaches to better define anesthetic depth.

For over a decade Sarah’s research career as a systems neuroscientist has been centered around measuring the brain in different states of consciousness using electrophysiology. Two ways to study conscious transitions empirically are by investigating the brain during sleep and while under anesthesia. She spent her doctoral and early postdoctoral work studying how sleep improves learning and memory at the neural network level. She is now pursuing her long-time interest to study the brain activity associated with anesthetics to better understand brain states that exhibit altered consciousness. In fact, the brain shares similar electrophysiological activity during sleep with some anesthetic transitions. With anesthetics, however, one is able to compare how different anesthetic agents interact with different neuromodulatory systems to cause similar behavior outcomes (i.e. sedation and unconsciousness). Sarah’s current project is to explore and evaluate different computational approaches to quantifying anesthetic depth using electroencephalography. A thorough characterization of the brain activity associated with consciousness transitions during anesthesia is of critical importance to better monitor patients. Sarah applies her expertise in systems neuroscience electrophysiology with clinical and translational work. Sarah aspires to continue to evolve her research to have direct applications to improve human health.