Faculty

Max B. Kelz, MD PhD

Lee A. Fleisher, MD Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care

Department: Anesthesiology and Critical Care

Graduate Group Affiliations

Contact information

3620 Hamilton Walk,
John Morgan Building - Room 339
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Office: 215 573-8208
Fax: 215 349-5078
Lab: 215 898-8929

Email:
kelz@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Links
Max Kelz, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Kelz lab home page

Education:
BS (Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry)
Yale University, 1993.
MS (Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry)
Yale University, 1993.
PhD (Neuroscience)
Yale University, 1999.
MD (Medicine)
Yale University, 2000.

Permanent link

SOM Home » BGS Home » NGG Home » Systems

Description of Research Expertise

Molecular Mechanisms of Anesthetic Action
Neurobiology of Sleep Wake Regulation
Mouse Genetics
Molecular Biology
Anesthetic pharmacology

Description of Clinical Expertise

Anesthesiology

Selected Publications

Cichon JM, Joseph TT, Lu X, Wasilczuk AZ, Kelz MB, Mennerick S, Zorumski C, Nagele P: Nitrous Oxide activates layer 5 prefrontal neurons via SK2 channel inhibition for antidepressant effect. Nature Communications in press 2025.

Imamura T, Wasilczuk AZ, Reitz SL, Lian J, Imamura M, Keenan BT, Shimizu N, Pack AI, Kelz MB: Parafacial GABAergic Neurone Ablation Induces Durable Behavioural Resistance to Volatile Anaesthetic Hypnosis Without Reducing Sleep. Br J Anaesth in press 2025.

Stone ME, Kelz MB, Proekt A, Wasilczuk AZ: A Probabilistic Model of Emergence from General Anaesthesia. Br J Anaesth in press 2025.

Aggarwal A, Luo J, Chung H, Contreras D, Kelz MB, Proekt A.: Neural assemblies coordinated by cortical waves are associated with waking and hallucinatory brain states. Cell Rep 43: 114017, Apr 2024.

Wasilczuk AZ, Rinehart C, Aggarwal A, Stone ME, Mashour GA, Avidan MS, Kelz MB, Proekt A; ReCCognition Study Group.: Hormonal basis of sex differences in anesthetic sensitivity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 121: e2312913120, Jan 2024.

McKinstry-Wu AR, Wasilczuk AZ, Dailey WP, Eckenhoff RG, Kelz MB.: In Vivo Photoadduction of Anesthetic Ligands in Mouse Brain Markedly Extends Sedation and Hypnosis. J Neurosci 43(13): 2338-48, Mar 2023.

Labonte AK, Kafashan MM, Huels ER, Blain-Moraes S, Basner M, Kelz MB, Mashour GA, Avidan MS, Palanca BJ, ReCCognition Study Group: The posterior dominant rhythm: An electroencephalographic biomarker for cognitive recovery after general anaesthesia. Br J Anaesth 130(2): e233-e242, Feb 2023.

Lennertz R, Pryor KO, Raz A, Parker M, Bonhomme V, Schuller P, Schneider G, Moore M, Coburn M, Root JC, Emerson JM, Hohmann AL, Azaria H, Golomb N, Defresne A, Montupil J, Pilge S, Obert DP, van Waart H, Seretny M, Rossaint R, Kowark A, Blair A, Krause B, Proekt A, Kelz M, Sleigh J, Gaskell A, Sanders RD.: Connected consciousness after tracheal intubation in young adults: an international multicentre cohort study. Br J Anaesth 130(2): e217-e224, Feb 2023.

Cichon J, Wasilczuk AZ, Looger LL, Contreras D, Kelz MB, Proekt A.: Ketamine triggers a switch in excitatory neuronal activity across neocortex. Nat Neurosci 26(1): 39-52, Jan 2023.

Kafashan M, Brian Hickman L, Labonte AK, Huels ER, Maybrier H, Guay CS, Subramanian S, Farber NB, Ching S, Hogan RE, Kelz MB, Avidan MS, Mashour GA, Palanca BJA.: Quiescence during burst suppression and postictal generalized EEG suppression are distinct patterns of activity. Clin Neurophysiol 142: 125-32, Oct 2022.