Timothy J. Brennan, M.D., Ph.D.
Samir D. Gergis Professor of Anesthesia

First Endowed Professorship in 
UI Anesthesia Department Awarded

Michael M. Todd, M.D., the head of the Department of Anesthesia, upon initial notification of the generous gift from Dr. Gergis, stated “The Gergis Professorship will significantly advance Iowa’s already excellent reputation for anesthesia scholarship and education. It is especially meaningful for us to have a professorship in our department named for our [former] colleague and good friend, Sam Gergis, and it is appropriate that our first endowed professorship would be established by such an esteemed leader. We are extremely grateful for Dr. Gergis’ generosity.”

Timothy J. Brennan, M.D., Ph.D., has been named the Dr. Samir D. Gergis Professor of Anesthesia.  A gift of $1 million from the estate of Samir D. “Sam” Gergis, M.D., has established the first endowed professorship in the Department of Anesthesia in the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine.  Dr. Gergis, who died in April 2005 at the age of 71, joined our Department in 1969 as a resident and rose through the ranks of tenure to become full professor by 1976.  Many of us miss Sam’s presence here and remember him fondly. 

Dr. Brennan joined Iowa’s Department of Anesthesia in 1993, as an Associate of Anesthesiology, advancing to tenured Professor status in the Departments of Anesthesia and Pharmacology in 2006.  He also holds the position of Vice Chair for Research in the Department.  Certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology, with additional subspecialty certification in pain management, his areas of research interest include acute pain and postoperative pain, both clinical and basic science.  His research has been NIH-funded since 1997.  His two currently active grants are entitled “Primary Afferent Sensitization in Postoperative Pain,” and “TRPV1 Expressing Sensory Afferents in Postoperative Pain.”  Dr. Brennan has published extensively in peer-reviewed medical journals, as well as contributing chapters to several texts.  He delivers invited lectures both domestically and internationally and serves on multiple professional editorial boards, including his current position as Assistant Editor-in-Chief for Anesthesiology. 

Dr. Brennan has held offices in professional organizations since 1996, was a founding member of the Acute Pain SIG of the International Association for the Study of Pain, and served as program chair for both the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and the American Pain Society.  In 1998, he was appointed to the UI Anesthesia Department Research Committee. He serves the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics by participating on several committees and task forces.  At the collegiate level, Dr. Brennan has held many positions, including as a current member of the Medical Student Research Council. 

A native of Minnesota, Dr. Brennan has been married to his wife, Jacki, for 27 years and they have three children, Cory, Erin, and Ryan.  He received his BS in Natural Sciences from Saint John’s University, St. Joseph, MN in 1977, followed by a PhD in Pharmacology at the University of Texas Health Center in 1984. Later, he accepted a fellowship in neurophysiology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, where he completed his medical training in 1989, and his residency in Anesthesiology at the University of Virginia Health Sciences Center in 1992.  He has been named one of the “Best Doctors in America” in the field of Anesthesia for multiple years.  In addition to his clinical duties and research efforts, he finds time to teach and mentor fellows, residents, and medical students.

Michael M. Todd, M.D., the head of the Department of Anesthesia, upon initial notification of the generous gift from Dr. Gergis, stated “The Gergis Professorship will significantly advance Iowa’s already excellent reputation for anesthesia scholarship and education.  It is especially meaningful for us to have a professorship in our department named for our [former] colleague and good friend, Sam Gergis, and it is appropriate that our first endowed professorship would be established by such an esteemed leader.  We are extremely grateful for Dr. Gergis’ generosity.”

Dr. Gergis, over his 35 years as a member of our faculty, served as Acting Head of the Department in 1977 and 1978, and served as Vice Chairman of Clinical Affairs from 1985 until 1997.  He continued his clinical teaching until his death.  Among numerous honors from organizations worldwide, Dr. Gergis received the American Medical Association Physician Recognition Award seven times, and he was a fellow of the American College of Anesthesiology.

A native of Egypt, Dr. Gergis entered Cairo University at age 14, eventually receiving his anesthesia and medical degrees in 1957 and 1958, respectively.  He also completed a fellowship at the World Health Organization and the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1963.

Dr. Brennan was selected as recipient of this endowed professorship after recruitment of applicants and review of the qualifications of each.