Research is an important part of the field of anesthesia—it is what has allowed anesthesiologists to continuously improve the vital task of rendering patients unconscious for surgery, making it safer than ever. The development of 10 subspecialties within the field of anesthesia means that today’s research in this field affects not just what occurs in the operating room, but also what goes on as patients are prepped for surgery, and in the intensive care unit, the labor and delivery suites, and doctors’ offices where acute and chronic pain are being treated. The study of subcellular mechanisms of anesthesia, research at the organ level, and clinical studies directly related to patient care all move us forward to better understand the human body and treat the patients who come to see us.