Connor Brenna is an anesthesia resident in the Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine and a PhD candidate in the Department of Physiology at the University of Toronto. His emerging expertise sits at the intersection of anesthesiology, neuroscience, and ethics, shaped by a research program focused on the sustained neuropsychiatric effects of anesthetic drugs. Connor’s doctoral work—funded by both CIP‑MOH salary support and the prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship—examines how agents such as nitrous oxide modulate GABAA receptor–mediated signaling to influence mood and cognition long after anesthetic drugs have been cleared from the body.
His growing scientific impact has been recognized through numerous awards, including the 2024 Ontario’s Anesthesiologists Resident Award, acknowledging leadership and advocacy within anesthesiology, and multiple competitive research fellowships such as the Edward Christie Stevens Fellowship and William Cron & Jean Harris Memorial Fellowship. Connor’s scholarly productivity is equally notable: he has authored dozens of peer-reviewed publications across anesthesiology, psychiatry, and philosophy, including recent work in the British Journal of Anaesthesia and Anesthesiology.
Beyond research, Connor contributes extensively to academic life. He mentors medical students and junior residents, serves on departmental and national committees, and holds leadership roles including Treasurer on the Board of Directors of the Professional Association of Residents of Ontario (PARO) and Co‑Lead of the Interdisciplinary Bioethics Working Group.
Connor’s trajectory reflects the core mission of the Clinician Investigator Program: integrating rigorous scientific inquiry with compassionate, evidence-informed patient care. His work is helping reshape how anesthetic drugs may one day be used not only to induce anesthesia, but to transform the landscape of neuropsychiatric treatment.
“It has been an honour to participate in CIP. I am grateful for the unique opportunity to blend a focused research competency into my clinical training, and for all of the challenges that have come along with it!” – Connor Brenna
