Dr. James Khan appointed as the inaugural holder of the Anesthesia and Pain Management Professorship in Perioperative Sciences at Sinai Health Systems
The Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. James Khan as the inaugural holder of the Anesthesia and Pain Management Professorship in Perioperative Sciences at Sinai Health Systems, effective July 1, 2025 for a 5-year term. This prestigious professorship represents a collaborative initiative between the University of Toronto and Sinai Health, underscoring our commitment to advancing knowledge and innovation in perioperative and pain sciences.
About Dr. James Khan
Dr. James Khan is an accomplished Assistant Professor and Clinician-Scientist in the Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine at the University of Toronto. His academic journey includes graduating as Valedictorian from McMaster Medical School, completing residency training in Anesthesiology at the University of Toronto, and pursuing fellowship training in Pain Medicine at Stanford University. He further holds a Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology from McMaster University. Among his many accolades, Dr. Khan was named the 2020 United States Association for the Study of Pain Young Investigator of the Year. In addition to his academic and clinical achievements, Dr. Khan was honoured as a Visiting Professor at the University of Ottawa, where he delivered the prestigious 2024 Dr. David Power Memorial Lecture. This recognition highlights his contributions to pain management and clinical trials while fostering connections with faculty, staff, and residents for future collaborations.
Dr. Khan has published over 70 peer-reviewed scientific papers focusing on understanding the transition from acute to chronic pain. He currently practices at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, where he serves as Director of the Persistent Breast Cancer Pain Clinic and is recognized nationally for his expertise in Peripheral Nerve Stimulator implantation. Additionally, Dr. Khan holds leadership roles as Research Lead for the Division of Pain Medicine at UofT and Co-Director of Research for the Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute. His clinical research program includes leading the PLAN Trial, an international multicenter randomized controlled study involving 1,602 patients that evaluates intraoperative intravenous lidocaine infusion as a strategy to prevent persistent pain after breast cancer surgery.
Vision for the Professorship
As the holder of the Anesthesia and Pain Management Professorship in Perioperative Sciences, Dr. Khan will establish and lead a research program dedicated to perioperative and pain medicine. His work will focus on evidence-based knowledge generation to bridge scientific research with clinical practice, reduce perioperative morbidity, shape best practices, and improve patient outcomes globally. He will champion collaborative research efforts within the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Management, foster multidisciplinary partnerships across institutions, and create transdisciplinary teams to advance perioperative care pathways.
Leadership & Mentorship
Dr. Khan’s leadership will also extend to mentoring junior investigators, supporting early-career researchers, and guiding graduate student programs while fostering knowledge exchange among Principal Investigators and Clinician Scientists within the department.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. James Khan on this remarkable achievement and welcoming him into his new role as he continues to advance excellence in anesthesia, perioperative sciences, and pain medicine research.
