Professor and Chair of Anesthesiology
(effective July 31, 2024)
Dr. Sakai earned his MD in 1989 and his PhD in 2001 (Cardiovascular Surgery) from Kyoto University. After completing a cardiovascular surgery residency in 1995 at Tenri Hospital, he became a board-certified cardiovascular surgeon in Japan. After completing clinical and research cardiovascular fellowships at the University of Toronto, Dr. Sakai relocated to Pittsburgh as a visiting instructor of thoracic organ transplant surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) in 1999. Upon completing his anesthesiology residency at UPMC in 2005, he joined the faculty in the Department of Anesthesiology at UPMC. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2010 and then to Professor in 2014 at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Before joining UNC in July 2024 as the Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology, he was Professor of Anesthesiology, Professor of the Clinical and Translational Science of Institute, and Faculty Member of McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Sakai served as Vice Chair for Professional Development and Chair of the Faculty Promotion and Appointment Committee of the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine at UPMC.
He is a nationally renowned expert in liver transplantation anesthesia. He was President of the Society for the Advancement of Transplant Anesthesia (2021-2023). He was co-editor of a comprehensive transplant anesthesiology textbook entitled Anesthesia and Perioperative Care for Organ Transplantation (Springer Inc.) in 2017. He is Associate Editor of Clinical Transplantation and Seminars in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia. He is also a nationally recognized anesthesia educator. He received the Distinguished Educator in Anesthesiology Award from the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the Society for Education in Anesthesia (SEA) in 2019 and serves as the Chair of the SEA Research Committee. Dr. Sakai was elected a member of the Association of University Anesthesiologists (AUA) in 2013 and serves as the Chair of the Leadership Advisory Board of AUA.
Education/Training
• Master of Health Administration (MHA), Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA (December 2017)
• Residency, Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA (2002-2005)
• Intern, Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA (2001-2002)
• PhD, Medicine (Cardiovascular Surgery), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan (March 2001)
• Research Fellow, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (1997-1999)
• Clinical Fellow, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (1996-1999)
• Residency, Cardiovascular Surgery, Tenri Hospital, Tenri, Nara, Japan (1991-1995)
• Intern, General Internal Medicine and Surgery, Tenri Hospital, Tenri, Nara, Japan (1989-1991)
• MD, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan (1983-1989)
What national committees are you part of?
• Immediate Past Chair, the Society for the Advancement of Transplant Anesthesia (SATA)
• Chair, Leadership Advisory Board, Association of University Anesthesiologists (AUA)
• Co-Chair, Research Committee, the Society for Education in Anesthesia (SEA)
What leadership positions do you hold in the department?
• Chair of Anesthesiology
Expert Skills
• Anesthesia for abdominal organ transplantation
• Coaching and facilitation in resident/faculty scholarly activity
• Creating innovative educational system
• Adoption of AI in administrative and HR management
Publications
• Some of Dr. Sakai’s publications can be reviewed through the National Library of Medicine’s publication database.
