Recording | Postoperative Delirium and the Acceleration of Brain Aging: Can We Stop the Snowball? | Annual Donald and Barbara Zucker Healthy Aging Lecture

July 9, 2026 | 5pm ET (Virtual)

Watch the recording of the Annual Donald and Barbara Zucker Healthy Aging Lecture featuring Dr. Paul García, MD, PhD

In “Postoperative Delirium and the Acceleration of Brain Aging: Can We Stop the Snowball?”, Dr. García explores how perioperative brain changes can precipitate delirium and contribute to long-term cognitive decline—especially in older adults. Drawing on NIH- and VA-funded research, he discusses EEG biomarkers of anesthetic state, nociception, emergence from anesthesia, and practical strategies to personalize anesthetic care and improve postoperative recovery. Hosted by the Northwell Roybal Center for Personalized Trials, this talk bridges cutting-edge neuroscience with actionable clinical insights for clinicians, researchers, caregivers, and patients focused on perioperative brain health. Watch now to learn how targeted monitoring and individualized care pathways may help prevent delirium and slow the cascade of brain aging after surgery.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/9aa88d_a97aa4e0f9204841b769fd5b1861a2c1/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Dr. Paul García, MD, PhD is a Professor of Anesthesiology at Columbia University. 

Dr. García’s research has been funded by the NIH, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and private foundations. His work focuses on perioperative neuroscience and the development of clinically actionable approaches to brain monitoring. He has led clinical investigations examining electroencephalographic (EEG) biomarkers of anesthetic state, nociception, emergence from anesthesia, postoperative delirium, and cognitive recovery after surgery. His research seeks to identify neurophysiologic signatures that can guide individualized anesthetic care and improve perioperative outcomes. Dr. García’s interests center on multidisciplinary clinical research that informs evidence-based practice and advances perioperative brain health across diverse surgical populations.

This annual series, hosted by the Northwell Roybal Center for Personalized Trials, features leading researchers at the intersection of aging-related topics including Alzheimer Disease and related dementias and physical activity.

Call for Proposals: Randomized Clinical Trials on Behavioral Interventions in Aging

Applications Now Open

Issued by: The Edward R. Roybal Centers for Translational Research on Aging 

Sponsored by: National Institute on Aging (NIA) 

LOI Deadline: October 1, 2026

Full Application Deadline: December 7, 2026

About Our Center

The Northwell Roybal Center for Personalized Trials works to develop behavioral interventions and adequately powered clinical trial results that can be translated into scalable, implementable interventions through innovative mechanisms of behavior change, behavior change theories and techniques, and innovative personalized methods.

Trial Requirements

F O C U S   A R E A

Walking interventions for individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia

N I H S T A G E M O D E L

Stage II — Fully powered randomized clinical trial (required)

M E C H A N I S M O F B E H A V I O R C H A N G E ( M o B C )

Required

B E H A V I O R C H A N G E T H E O R Y

Emphasis required

B U D G E T

$200,000 total (direct + indirect costs)

D U R A T I O N

12–18 months

Eligibility Requirements

• Propose a fully powered randomized clinical trial — not a pilot or feasibility study

• Apply the NIH Stage Model, with clear articulation of progression through stages

• Target walking behavior in individuals with MCI or dementia

• Include adequate statistical power to test mechanisms of behavior change and/or efficacy

• Demonstrate grounding in a behavior change theory

• Operate within a $200,000 total-cost budget over one year

  
  

View Application Criteria and Apply

Northwell Roybal Center Call for Proposals.pdf

Download PDF • 1.85MB

Annual Donald and Barbara Zucker Healthy Aging Lecture: Postoperative Delirium and the Acceleration of Brain Aging: Can We Stop the Snowball?

July 9, 2026 | 5pm ET (Virtual)

Dr. Paul García, MD, PhD is a Professor of Anesthesiology at Columbia University. 

Dr. García’s research has been funded by the NIH, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and private foundations. His work focuses on perioperative neuroscience and the development of clinically actionable approaches to brain monitoring. He has led clinical investigations examining electroencephalographic (EEG) biomarkers of anesthetic state, nociception, emergence from anesthesia, postoperative delirium, and cognitive recovery after surgery. His research seeks to identify neurophysiologic signatures that can guide individualized anesthetic care and improve perioperative outcomes. Dr. García’s interests center on multidisciplinary clinical research that informs evidence-based practice and advances perioperative brain health across diverse surgical populations.

Click here to register

This annual series, hosted by the Northwell Roybal Center for Personalized Trials, features leading researchers at the intersection of aging-related topics including Alzheimer Disease and related dementias and physical activity.