Dr. Claudia Friedrich

I am a physician–scientist and anesthesiologist on the faculty at Harvard Medical School, practicing at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. My work is anchored in a single question: how can we measure and understand consciousness in real time to improve human decision-making in complex systems? I study indicators of consciousness during surgery and use brain and physiologic signals as a window into human cognition under uncertainty.

Building on this foundation, my research focuses on human-centered integration of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence. By grounding AI in how humans actually perceive risk, integrate signals, and intervene, I aim to amplify human judgment, prevent avoidable harm, and design safer systems—helping healthcare, and society more broadly, to prosper.