Dr. Eugene Ornstein Retires

Dr. Eugene Ornstein has retired after 38 years of service to the department.

Having published over 90 scholarly works, Dr. Ornstein leaves behind an enormous academic legacy. He was the principal investigator or co-investigator on over 10 extramural grants (government and pharmaceutical). His pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic research is cited often in the scientific literature, and has led to a much greater understanding of how age and obesity affect anesthesia drug concentrations, specifically sufentanil and vecuronium.

 Dr. Ornstein also published studies on anesthesia monitoring, the cessation of action of volatile anesthetics, and clinical research studies involving cerebral blood flow and the surgical treatment of AV malformation.  On over three dozen of these publications, he worked with William L. (“Bill”) Young, MD (Columbia/UCSF), who is associated with the top research prize awarded by the Society of Neuroscience in Anesthesiology and Critical Care.  Several of our current anesthesiology faculty have collaborated with Dr. Ornstein over the years, including Drs. Smiley, Joshi, Anastasian, and Berman.

Dr. Ornstein grew up in New York City and began his academic career as an engineer. He studied bioengineering at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, which eventually merged with NYU to form the Polytechnic Institute of New York. Dr. Ornstein was awarded his PhD in 1977. In 1980, he moved to the University of Miami to complete the PhD to MD program initiated by Emanuel Papper, MD, PhD. From there, he moved to Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital for his residency in anesthesia. Dr. Ornstein joined our department as faculty in 1982.

Dr. Ornstein plans to continue travel between Israel and the United States. enjoying visits with his children and grandchildren.