Laboratory of Seun Johnson-Akeju, MD, MMSc

Overview

The Johnson-Akeju Laboratory studies the biological basis of perioperative brain health and applies insights from clinical and translational research to develop targeted strategies to prevent postoperative delirium and improve cognitive recovery after surgery. Our work is centered on defining brain vulnerability and identifying actionable pathways that can be modified to improve outcomes, particularly in high-risk patient populations.

Clinical Trials

A central focus of the lab is the design and execution of clinical trials to understand and improve postoperative brain outcomes. We use dexmedetomidine as a model therapeutic to test whether targeted modulation of sleep and arousal biology can improve cognitive recovery after surgery. Our early work, including MINDDS I, used explanatory trial designs to establish these relationships. Building on this foundation, ongoing studies such as MINDDS II take a more pragmatic approach to evaluate effectiveness and scalability in routine clinical care. Together, this work identifies and tests modifiable pathways to improve perioperative cognitive recovery.

Human Studies of Sleep and Sedation

In parallel, we conduct small, controlled human studies to define how dexmedetomidine-induced sleep-like states influence brain function. These studies integrate electrophysiologic, functional imaging, and sleep-based measures to understand how pharmacologic sleep engages neural circuits and supports restoration. This work provides a direct link between intervention and underlying biology.

Biomarkers of Brain Vulnerability and Recovery

We develop and validate biomarkers that capture perioperative brain vulnerability, injury, and recovery. A central focus of this work is the role of transfer RNA–derived small RNAs (tDRs) as both biomarkers and potential mediators of perioperative brain dysfunction. We study how these small RNA species reflect systemic stress responses and participate in signaling pathways that link surgical stress to brain outcomes. This work positions tDRs as a novel class of biomarkers and defines their potential as therapeutic targets in perioperative medicine.

Research Team

Seun Johnson-Akeju, MD, MMSc
Professor of Anaesthesia, Mass General Brigham and Harvard Medical School

Tina McKay, PhD
Instructor in Investigation, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School

Christopher Simon, PhD
Research Fellow in Anaesthesia, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School

Xiaoting Yu, PhD
Research Fellow in Anaesthesia, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School

Occam Kelly Graves, BS
Research Technician, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School

Publications

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