Nikolaus Gravenstein, MD

My name is Nikolaus Gravenstein, MD, and I’m the Jerome H. Modell, MD, Professor of Anesthesiology, and hold joint appointments as a professor of neurosurgery and a professor of periodontology. I’m also the lead clinical advisor for the Center for Safety, Simulation, and Learning Techniques, and I’m the director of the North American Malignant Hyperthermia Registry, which is housed here at UF.

I joined the University of Florida as an assistant professor in the Departments of Anesthesiology and Neurosurgery in 1983. I received my medical degree here at the University of Florida, and this is also where I completed my anesthesiology residency and fellowship. Between 1997 and 2008 I served as chair of the Department of Anesthesiology.

My clinical interests are varied. I’ve served NASA on behalf of UF during space shuttle launches and I also developed a ventilation and cooling system for football uniforms which has been adopted by the NCAA and NFL. I hold more than 40 patents, have a great many publications, and serve as a peer reviewer for a number of medical journals.

Anesthesiology is something of a family tradition for me. My father, Joachim Gravenstein, began the anesthesiology program here at UF in 1958. In 2020, I was proud to receive the University of Florida College of Medicine Lifetime Achievement Award for in recognition of my contributions to the department, institution, and the field.