Dr. Topjian is a Professor of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and an attending physician in the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia pediatric intensive care unit. She co-chaired the American Heart Association Pediatric Advanced Life Support Guidelines in 2020 and 2025 and is a member of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation Pediatric Life Support Task Force. She has been funded by the NIH to investigate the impact of cooling and neuroprognostication after pediatric cardiac arrest.  She is a PI for the Pediatric Influence of Cooling Duration on Efficacy in Cardiac Arrest Patients (PICECAP) trial.  She is an international leader in pediatric post cardiac arrest care and has published more than 250 peer reviewed papers. Her clinical and research interests focus on neurocritical care, including neuromonitoring, and post cardiac arrest care, including targeted temperature management.

Additionally, she is the Associate Chair of Faculty Affairs for the Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine with a passion for developing the careers of trainees and junior faculty.