Dawei SunM.D., Ph.D.

Education & Experience

1. November 2026

   Clinical Observer

   University of Utah Hospital
   Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine

   Planned · Four-week observership. Planned areas of observation: Regional anesthesia, preoperative assessment, intensive care, and operating-room general anesthesia.

2. October 2026

   Clinical Observer

   Torrance Memorial Hospital
   Department of Anesthesiology · Torrance, California

   In progress · Four-week observership. Areas of observation: Regional anesthesia, preoperative assessment, intensive care, and operating-room general anesthesia.Surgical cases observed: —Nerve blocks observed: —

3. November 2024 – Present

   Associate Researcher

   Sub-Laboratory of the State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Hangzhou Lin’an District Qingshan Lake Future Industry and Technology Innovation Center

   Cerebral ischemia and neuroprotection, with a focus on autophagy and mitophagy.

4. September 2023 – October 2024

   Anesthesiologist

   The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine

   Contributed to establishing the preoperative anesthesia clinic and improving its workflows.

5. September 2020 – February 2024

   Clinical Postdoctoral Fellow

   Zhejiang University

   China’s clinical postdoctoral program integrates research with standardized residency training. This appointment overlapped my residency and the beginning of my subsequent anesthesiologist role.

6. September 2020 – August 2023

   Residency in Anesthesiology

   The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine

   Standardized Residency Training (national program), three years, including an intensive care unit (ICU) rotation.

7. October 2018 – October 2019

   Visiting Scholar

   University of California San Francisco

   Neurology & Pediatrics · Research mentor: Donna M. Ferriero

8. September 2015 – June 2020

   Ph.D. in Anesthesiology

   Shanghai Jiao Tong University

9. October 2010 – July 2015

   Bachelor of Medicine in Medicine

   Wenzhou Medical University

Clinical Experience

• Pre-anesthetic evaluation, perioperative risk assessment, and anesthetic planning.
• Anesthetic induction, intraoperative monitoring and management, emergence, and postoperative handoff.
• Ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks and vascular access, including arterial catheterization and central venous access.
• Operating-room orientation and case-based teaching for international medical students at Zhejiang University.

Research

My clinical research examines how physiologic indicators of oxygen delivery and utilization can inform perioperative care and patient blood management. During clinical postdoctoral training, I investigated arterial-venous oxygen differences as potential transfusion indicators and contributed to studies of acute normovolemic hemodilution, postoperative coagulation, and hemoglobin levels. This interest also led to a central venous oxygen saturation monitoring device design. I have served as a corresponding author on randomized trials of ciprofol, a novel intravenous anesthetic, and anesthetic strategies for postoperative cognitive recovery. My experimental work focuses on cerebral ischemia and neuroprotection, particularly HIF-2α, autophagy, and mitophagy after hypoxic-ischemic injury. This work builds on doctoral training and research with Donna Ferriero at UCSF and is the focus of my current Associate Researcher appointment.

Grants & Presentations

Research funding

NSFC Young Scientists Fund · Principal Investigator, 2024–2026

Project No. 82302479

Protective effects and mechanisms of HIF-2α in immature brain hypoxic-ischemic injury through regulation of mitophagy.

ASA presentations

Oral presentation · 2024

Arterial-venous oxygen difference as a potential indicator for erythrocyte transfusion during cardiac surgery: a prospective observational study.

American Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting · Philadelphia, PA

Oral presentation · 2019 · Best of Abstracts: Basic Science

Angiopep-2 modified PEGylated 2-methoxyestradiol micelles contributes to neuroprotection in a murine cardiac arrest model.

One of 10 abstracts selected for the Best of Abstracts: Basic Science oral session from more than 1,000 submissions.

American Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting · Orlando, FL

Innovation

Continuous oxygen saturation monitoring probe

A probe designed for placement within a central venous catheter to continuously monitor central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO₂), with the intended application of assessing the balance between oxygen delivery and consumption in real time.

First inventor · Chinese Utility Model Patent ZL 2024 2 3305545.1. Granted April 21, 2026. A utility model protects a technical product design.

Publications

First, co-first, and corresponding authorship are indicated after each citation.

1. Cardiovascular health and life expectancy free of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease among patients with type 2 diabetes: a cohort study

   Wei Y, Sun D, Ng S, He Y, Liu X, Wang J.

   European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Published online November 24, 2025.

2. Effect of sevoflurane post-conditioning on postoperative cognitive function in carotid endarterectomy patients: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial

   Wang B, Li S, Wang C, Zhu J, Jin Y, Sun D, Lang J.

   Frontiers in Medicine. 2025;12:1716370. (Corresponding author)

3. Efficacy and Safety of Ciprofol Alone versus Ciprofol with Fentanyl for Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial

   Liu L, Li F, Wei Y, Luo L, Shen L, Li J, Sun N, Qian B, Sun D.

   Drug Design, Development and Therapy. 2025;19:5231-5241. (Corresponding author)

4. Advances in Monitoring and Reversal Strategies for the Novel Anticoagulants Factor XI Inhibitors

   Chen Y, Yao Y, Sun D, Wang Y, Wu C, Zhao L, Tang Z, Zhang F.

   Chinese General Practice. 2025;28(3):379-384 [in Chinese].

5. Association of lifestyle with valvular heart disease progression and life expectancy among elderly people from different socioeconomic backgrounds

   Wei Y, Sun D, Jaiswal S, He Y, Liu X, Wang J.

   BMC Medicine. 2024;22(1):367.

6. Predictive modeling for identifying infection risk following spinal surgery: Optimizing patient management

   Wang R, Xiao J, Gao Q, Xu G, Ni T, Zou J, Wang T, Luo G, Cheng Z, Wang Y, Tao X, Sun D, Yao Y, Yan M.

   Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine. 2024;28(1):281.

7. Chronic Postsurgical Pain Following Lung Transplantation: Characteristics, Risk Factors, Treatment, and Prevention: A Narrative Review

   Tao X, Luo G, Xiao J, Yao Y, Gao Q, Zou J, Wang T, Cheng Z, Sun D, Yan M.

   Pain and Therapy. 2024;13(4):719-731.

8. Postinduction Hypotension and Adverse Outcomes in Older Adults Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Retrospective Cohort Study

   Ni T, Yao Y, Zhou X, Lv T, Zou J, Luo G, Yang J, Sun D, Gao Q, Wang T, Wang R, Tao X, Yan M.

   Clinical Interventions in Aging. 2024;19:1919-1938.

9. Nadir Hemoglobin Concentration After Spinal Tumor Surgery: Association With Risk of Composite Adverse Events

   Wang X, Tao J, Zhong Y, Yao Y, Wang T, Gao Q, Xu G, Lv T, Li X, Sun D, Cheng Z, Liu M, Xu J, Wu C, Wang Y, Wang R, Zheng B, Yan M.

   Global Spine Journal. Published online November 2, 2023; print: 2025;15(2):800-807.

10. Causal relationship between obesity and iron deficiency anemia: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study

    Wang T, Gao Q, Yao Y, Luo G, Lv T, Xu G, Liu M, Xu J, Li X, Sun D, Cheng Z, Wang Y, Wu C, Wang R, Zou J, Yan M.

    Frontiers in Public Health. 2023;11:1188246.

11. Large volume acute normovolemic hemodilution in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with intermediate-high risk of transfusion: A randomized controlled trial

    Ming Y, Zhang F, Yao Y, Cheng Z, Yu L, Sun D, Sun K, Yu Y, Liu M, Ma L, HuangYang Y, Yan M.

    Journal of Clinical Anesthesia. 2023;87:111082.

12. Risk Factors for Hypocoagulability After Cardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Study

    Li X, Wang R, Sun D, Yao Y, Wang T, Luo G, Liu M, Xu J, Cheng Z, Gao Q, Wang Y, Wu C, Xu G, Lv T, Zou J, Yan M.

    Clinical and Applied Thrombosis/Hemostasis. 2023;29:10760296231209927.

13. Neuronal deficiency of hypoxia‐inducible factor 2α increases hypoxic‐ischemic brain injury in neonatal mice

    Sun D, Lu F, Sheldon A, Jiang X, Ferriero DM.

    Journal of Neuroscience Research. 2021;99(11):2964-2975. (First author)

14. White matter injury in the neonatal hypoxic‐ischemic brain and potential therapies targeting microglia

    Shao R, Sun D, Hu Y, Cui D.

    Journal of Neuroscience Research. 2021;99(4):991-1008.

15. Research progress in the relationship between endosomal sorting complexes required for transport and autophagy

    Li Y, Sun D, Cui D.

    Journal of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Medical Science). 2021;41(9):1256-1260 [in Chinese].

16. Effects of different rewarming rates on neuron autophagy in the cardiac arrest/resuscitation rat model treated with hypothermia

    Li Y, Hu Y, Sun D, Cui D.

    Journal of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Medical Science). 2020;40(11):1454-1460 [in Chinese].

17. Increased PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy explains the improved brain protective effects of slow rewarming following hypothermia after cardiac arrest in rats

    Hu Y, Sun D, Li Y, Wang X, Jiang W, Shi H, Cui D.

    Experimental Neurology. 2020;330:113326. (Co-first author)

18. Effects of the Incidence Density of Fever (IDF) on Patients Resuscitated From In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Mediation Analysis

    Hu Y, Guo Y, Wang X, Li Y, Sun D, Cui D.

    Frontiers in Medicine. 2020;7:86.

19. The roles of oxidative stress and Beclin-1 in the autophagosome clearance impairment triggered by cardiac arrest

    Wang X, Sun D, Hu Y, Xu X, Jiang W, Shang H, Cui D.

    Free Radical Biology and Medicine. 2019;136:87-95. (Co-first author)

20. A2BAR activation attenuates acute lung injury by inhibiting alveolar epithelial cell apoptosis both in vivo and in vitro

    Xu X, Zhu Q, Niu F, Zhang R, Wang Y, Wang W, Sun D, Wang X, Wang A.

    American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology. 2018;315(4):C558-C570.

21. bFGF plays a neuroprotective role by suppressing excessive autophagy and apoptosis after transient global cerebral ischemia in rats

    Sun D, Wang W, Wang X, Wang Y, Xu X, Ping F, Du Y, Jiang W, Cui D.

    Cell Death & Disease. 2018;9(2):172. (First author)

22. iTRAQ-Based Proteomics Analysis of Acute Lung Injury Induced by Oleic Acid in Mice

    Xu X, Zhu Q, Zhang R, Wang Y, Niu F, Wang W, Sun D, Wang A.

    Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry. 2017;44(5):1949-1964.

23. Critical care progress of traumatic spinal cord injury

    Wang X, Sun D, Cui D.

    Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine in Intensive and Critical Care. 2017;24:552-555 [in Chinese].

24. Impaired autophagosome clearance contributes to neuronal death in a piglet model of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

    Cui D, Sun D, Wang X, Yi L, Kulikowicz E, Reyes M, Zhu J, Yang ZJ, Jiang W, Koehler RC.

    Cell Death & Disease. 2017;8(7):e2919.

Academic Service & Leadership

Volunteer service

Ad Hoc Peer Reviewer · 2024–Present

53 peer-review assignments across 17 journals, as of September 2026. Journals include:

• Journal of Clinical Anesthesia
• International Journal of Surgery
• Brazilian Journal of Anesthesiology
• Anesthesiology and Perioperative Science
• Journal of Anesthesia and Translational Medicine
• and 12 other journals

Leadership

President, Graduate Student Union · 2017–2018

Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth Hospital

Vice President, Student Union · 2014–2015

Wenzhou Medical University