Dr. Michael Mathis is a U.S. physician-scientist at the University of Michigan whose research focuses on making surgery and anesthesia safer through data-driven medicine.
Mathis is an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of Michigan Medical School, Research Director of the Multicenter Perioperative Outcomes Group and Director of Outcomes Research within the university’s Department of Anesthesiology. His research examines how information from electronic health records and large clinical datasets can be transformed into practical tools for physicians.
His work focuses on perioperative medicine—the period before, during and after surgery. This includes studying how doctors can better manage patients’ blood pressure and other physiological factors during operations and how hospitals can reduce serious complications.
One of the important areas of Mathis’ research is acute kidney injury following cardiac surgery. His research seeks to identify factors associated with this complication and develop better approaches for preventing it. He is currently principal investigator on NIH-funded research examining ways to optimize care during surgery and reduce kidney injury and related adverse outcomes.
In September 2026, Mathis received the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ James E. Cottrell, MD, Presidential Scholar Award. The award recognizes physician-scientists who have dedicated their careers to research, and Mathis was selected in recognition of his work in perioperative outcomes and clinical research.
A particularly interesting aspect of his work is the practical use of healthcare data. Instead of treating artificial intelligence and data science as purely technological projects, Mathis focuses on whether information can actually help physicians make better decisions for individual patients.
His research examines clinical practice variation and seeks to identify patterns that could lead to better and more consistent care. The goal is not simply to collect more medical data, but to convert that information into actionable knowledge that can be used by healthcare professionals.
Mathis also plays a significant role in collaborative research. As Research Director of the Multicenter Perioperative Outcomes Group, he works with researchers across approximately 70 hospitals and helps coordinate hundreds of outcomes research studies.
His career also includes a strong commitment to developing the next generation of physician-scientists. He has helped establish research fellowship and career-development programs designed to support physicians who want to combine clinical practice with scientific investigation.
The breadth of his work reflects an important change in modern medicine. Hospitals now generate enormous quantities of information, from vital signs and laboratory results to electronic health records and surgical outcomes. Researchers such as Mathis are working to determine how that information can be used responsibly to improve patient care.
His work demonstrates that medical innovation does not always involve a new drug or surgical device. Improving the way physicians use information, identify risks and manage patients can also have an important effect on healthcare quality and safety.
For MoversAndShakers.io, Dr. Michael Mathis provides a strong example of a U.S. doctor combining clinical medicine, research, technology and mentorship. His 2026 recognition highlights a career devoted to translating data and scientific evidence into practical improvements for patients undergoing surgery.
