Dr. Emery N. Brown, MD, PhD

Emery N. Brown, MD, PhD is an anesthesiologist based at Massachusetts General Hospital and MIT in Boston, Massachusetts, recognised internationally for work in anesthesiology, computational neuroscience and neuroscience of consciousness. He holds the position of Institute Professor at MIT; Warren M. Zapol Professor of Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School.

Work in this area concentrates on mechanisms of general anesthesia and the brain, anesthetic effects on consciousness and EEG signatures and postoperative delirium and cognitive recovery. He is a recipient of the National Medal of Science, 2024.

Anesthesiologists are physicians who keep patients safe, comfortable and stable before, during and after surgery or another procedure. Within that specialty, Dr. Emery Brown is best known for anesthesiology, computational neuroscience and neuroscience of consciousness.

Dr. Emery Brown Credentials And Practice Details

• Full Name And Credentials: Emery N. Brown, MD, PhD
• Specialty: Anesthesiology
• Subspecialty Focus: Anesthesiology, computational neuroscience, neuroscience of consciousness
• Current Position: Institute Professor at MIT; Warren M. Zapol Professor of Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School
• Institution: Massachusetts General Hospital and MIT
• Location: Boston, Massachusetts

Training And Board Certification Of Dr. Emery Brown

The training record below is drawn from the institutional and society sources listed at the end of this profile.

• Undergraduate: BA in applied mathematics, Harvard College, 1978
• Postgraduate Study: Institut Fourier des Mathematiques Pures, Grenoble, France, 1978 to 1979, as a Rotary Fellow
• Medical Degree: MD magna cum laude, Harvard Medical School, 1987
• Doctorate: AM 1984 and PhD 1988 in statistics, Harvard University
• Internship: Internal medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 1989
• Residency: Anesthesiology, Massachusetts General Hospital
• Fellowship: Brigham and Women’s Hospital
• Board Certification: American Board of Anesthesiology

Dr. Emery Brown Subspecialty Expertise

Published professional sources describe the clinical and academic work of Dr. Emery Brown as centred on:

• Mechanisms of general anesthesia and the brain
• Anesthetic effects on consciousness and EEG signatures
• Postoperative delirium and cognitive recovery
• Statistical and signal-processing methods for neural data
• Closed-loop anesthetic delivery systems

Professional Roles And Society Leadership Of Dr. Emery Brown

• Institute Professor, the highest faculty honour at MIT
• Edward Hood Taplin Professor of Medical Engineering and Computational Neuroscience, MIT
• Warren M. Zapol Professor of Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School
• Director, Neuroscience Statistics Research Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital
• Associate Director, MIT Institute for Medical Engineering and Science
• Investigator, Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, MIT
• Co-Director, Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology

Awards And Scientific Contributions Of Dr. Emery Brown

• National Medal of Science, 2024
• Elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Engineering, the first African American and the first anesthesiologist elected to all three
• Gruber Neuroscience Prize
• Guggenheim Fellowship, 2015
• Excellence in Research Award, American Society of Anesthesiologists

Where Dr. Emery Brown Practises

Massachusetts General Hospital and MIT

Boston, Massachusetts. Clinical commitments at this institution are arranged through its departments and preoperative services. Confirm the current street address, department and telephone number with the institution before travelling, because academic appointments and clinic sites change.

How Anesthesia Neuroscience Affects Patient Care

Research into anaesthetic mechanisms asks how anaesthetic drugs actually produce unconsciousness, immobility and loss of memory at the level of brain cells and receptors. Understanding this makes it possible to monitor depth of anaesthesia more accurately and to reduce complications such as delirium and longer term cognitive problems, particularly in older patients.

Other Anesthesiologists In Anesthesia Neuroscience

If you are comparing specialists, these anesthesiologists work in closely related areas:

• Dr. Hugh Hemmings, anesthetic mechanisms at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
• Dr. Beverley Orser, anesthetic mechanisms at Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
• Dr. Steven Shafer, anesthetic pharmacology at Stanford University School of Medicine
• Dr. Peter Kranke, evidence based perioperative care at University Hospital Wurzburg

Browse the full anesthesiologist directory for more specialists.

Referral Pathway And Insurance For Dr. Emery Brown

Anesthesiologists are usually brought into a patient’s care by a surgeon, a hospital preoperative clinic or a pain service rather than through direct booking. Insurance participation varies by hospital and by plan, and it changes over time. Check coverage with both the institution and your insurer before scheduling, and ask whether the named anesthesiologist will personally be involved in your care.

Common Questions About Dr. Emery Brown

What does Dr. Emery Brown specialise in?

Dr. Emery Brown is an anesthesiologist whose work centres on anesthesiology, computational neuroscience and neuroscience of consciousness. Particular areas of focus include mechanisms of general anesthesia and the brain and anesthetic effects on consciousness and eeg signatures.

Where does Dr. Emery Brown practise?

Dr. Emery Brown is based at Massachusetts General Hospital and MIT in Boston, Massachusetts.

Where did Dr. Emery Brown go to medical school?

MD magna cum laude, Harvard Medical School, 1987. Full training details appear in the education section above.

What are the qualifications of Dr. Emery Brown?

Emery N. Brown, MD, PhD. Specialist training in Anesthesiology, Massachusetts General Hospital. American Board of Anesthesiology.

Is Dr. Emery Brown board certified?

American Board of Anesthesiology. Patients and referring clinicians should confirm current licensure and certification status directly with the relevant medical board or hospital.

What position does Dr. Emery Brown hold?

Dr. Emery Brown is Institute Professor at MIT; Warren M. Zapol Professor of Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School, based at Massachusetts General Hospital and MIT.

Source References For Dr. Emery Brown

• Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine
• MIT Picower Institute for Learning and Memory faculty profile
• National Science Foundation, National Medal of Science recipients

Compilation And Review Notes For Dr. Emery Brown

This profile was compiled from the public professional sources listed above, including institutional faculty pages, hospital provider directories and specialty society records. Credentials, appointments and awards were checked against at least two independent sources where available. Last reviewed on 30 October 2026.

Found something out of date? Contact the Find MD Health editorial team and we will review the entry.

Medical Information Notice For Dr. Emery Brown

Information only, not medical advice. Location, specialty, insurance and availability change, so confirm details with Massachusetts General Hospital and MIT.