The University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions’ PHHP Days is an annual celebration of research from the undergraduate to postdoctoral level, featuring oral and poster presentations from more than 200 students. Within the two-day event, the Pillar Talks series serves as a platform for faculty to share their research, insights, discoveries and innovations across the college’s mission areas of education, research, service and clinical work. These brief, TED Talk-style talks are an opportunity for every member of the college to come together, learn from each other and showcase the remarkable scholarship advancing public health and health science.
Ahead of PHHP Days 2026, taking place April 15 and 16, speakers will share sneak peeks of their talks and what they hope listeners will learn.
Catherine Price, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology
What is your primary focus in PHHP and why does it interest you?
I am a neuropsychologist studying brain interactions with surgery and anesthesia, working to translate the findings into clinical settings, and advocating for interdisciplinary patient care that includes neuropsychologists in the perioperative setting. The first public demonstration of anesthesia occurred in 1846, and it was believed the effects of anesthesia were temporary and safe on the brain and body. We now know, however, that some people are negatively cognitively impacted by anesthesia and surgery. Research shows us these are most often the older patients, individuals with cognitive and memory difficulties prior to the surgery, those with untreated depression, and people who are physically frail. This work is exciting because we learn about the brain and have the potential to improve the future of healthcare.
What is the theme of your pillar talk?
Why we need to consider brain health for our older adults scheduling surgery with anesthesia.
Why do you want to share this topic?
Prior to surgery, surgeons and anesthesiologistsroutinely request cardiac clearance for their patients with cardiovascular vulnerabilities, but brain health is ignored. Yet, the brain is the organ responsible for behavior and cognition and is immediately impacted by anesthesia and the physiologic effects of surgery.
What do you hope the audience takes away from your talk?
I want them to leave remembering that the brain is an important organ in need of protection and assessment around the time of surgery and anesthesia.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your work or your upcoming pillar talk?
We have translated our NIH neuroimaging, neurocognitive and digital technology research into clinical practice at UF Health. This has been accomplished through support from PHHP, the College of Medicine’s Department of Anesthesiology and UF Health. The program is called the Perioperative Cognitive Anesthesia Network (PeCAN) where there is a clinic embedded into the preoperative anesthesia center at UF Health, prospective research programs and interdisciplinary training opportunities. We have recently branched out to UF Health Jacksonville and UF Health Ocala.
We are also currently conducting NIH research examining how people with fewer years of education may benefit from different preoperative cognitive screening tools to assess brain health.
We are working toward a large pragmatic trial with other UF hospitals to examine how preoperative brain health assessments change patient outcomes and change physician decision making. Our goal is to identify barriers and facilitators to integrating neuropsychology into the perioperative settings of community hospitals. We need support from the community and philanthropic donors to make these types of studies and impact possible.