General Surgery

Welcome to the University of Chicago Section of General Surgery.

The mission of the University of Chicago Department of Surgery and the Section of General Surgery is to provide the highest quality patient care, conduct innovative medical research and offer the best training for our young surgeons and physicians. We are proud to share our efforts with you through this web site. Please explore those areas of interest to you.

The section of general surgery offers the highest quality patient care and advanced minimally invasive surgical procedures. Our surgeons are recognized experts in breast surgery, endocrine surgery, hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery, inflammatory bowel disease, minimally invasive surgery, surgical oncology and surgical treatment of obesity.
Advanced Practice Providers
- Acute Care Surgery Service
  
  Steven Hartzler, PA-C
  
  Caitlin Kairys, PA-C
  
  Jessica Kempton, PA-C * Lead APP
- Breast Surgery
  
  Alexis Liska, PA-C
  
  Laura Nanocchio, PA-C
  
  Emily Scholl, PA-C
- Endocrine Surgery
  
  Omaimah Sara Mahrat, APN
  
  Marissa Mullen, PA-C
- Ingalls General Surgery
  
  Liz Irizarry, PA-C
  
  Gabrielle Woodman, PA-C
- Minimally Invasive/ Bariatric Surgery
  
  Alisha Wilson, APN
  
  Krystal Agnew, APN
- Surgical Oncology
  
  Colette Brottman- Ebsen, PA-C *Lead APP
  
  Barbara Gordon, APN, OCN
  
  Claudia Crumrine, PA-C
Researchers in the Section of General Surgery are conducting research in a number of areas, much of which is funded with NIH grants. Ongoing reserach includes pathophysiology of surgical infections, molecular biology of familial polyposis syndrome and solid gastrointestinal and endocrine tumors, breast cancer treatment, as well as evaluation of inflammatory bowel disease.

Pathophysiology of Surgical Infections

Dr. John Alverdy, professor of surgery, directs a research program that studies the pathophysiology of surgical infections. This program seeks to understand the mechansism by which infection and sepsis arise among critically ill patients.

Despite newer and more powerful antibiotics, the incidence and severity of sepsis continues to rise, claiming the lives of more than 200,000 Americans annually. An aging population, the development of invasive medical and surgical procedures, and the ability to rescue and sustain the lives of the most critically ill and injured patients has created an unprecedented population of patients at risk for infection and sepsis.

The working hypothesis of the Alverdy lab is that during bouts of severe physiologic stress, disruption of the normal balance of the intestinal microflora coupled with an erosion of the protective barrier of the intestinal tract defense system, creates a situation in which the normal resident flora is replaced by highly lethal pathogens.

Learn more about the research of Dr. Alverdy and his lab.
Our seven-year General Surgery Residency training program is primarily based at the University of Chicago Medical Center with specific rotations integrated at our affiliated hospital, NorthShore University Health System. We are uniquely situated on the Hyde Park campus of the University of Chicago, which is one of the top academic universities in the world and has been the home to over 87 Nobel laureates.

The Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship program is an ACGME-approved fellowship that is based at two outstanding facilities: The University of Chicago Medicine (UCM) and North Shore University Health Systems (NSUHS)/Evanston Hospital, which serves as UCM's primary academic affiliate. This union of an elite academic medical center and a premier community based hospital has strengthened our established outstanding comprehensive program in surgical oncology.

Faculty & Providers

John C. Alverdy, MD

Sara and Harold Lincoln Thompson Professor of Surgery
Executive Vice Chair, Department of Surgery
Peter Angelos, MD, PhD

Linda Kohler Anderson Professor of Surgery and Surgical Ethics
Chief, Endocrine Surgery
Director, MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics
Megan Applewhite, MD, MA

Associate Professor of Surgery
Associate Director, MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics
Vanessa Buie, MD, MBA

Assistant Professor of Surgery
Ravi Deshmukh, MD

Clinical Associate of Surgery
Betty Fan, DO

Assistant Professor of Surgery
Jennifer Gambla, MD

Clinical Associate of Surgery
Mustafa Hussain, MD

Associate Professor of Surgery
Director, Center for the Surgical Treatment of Obesity
Nora Jaskowiak, MD

Professor of Surgery
Director, Breast Center
Edwin L. Kaplan, MD

Professor of Surgery
Xavier Keutgen, MD

Associate Professor of Surgery
Alex Lois, MD, MS

Assistant Professor of Surgery
Jeffrey B. Matthews, MD

Dallas B. Phemister Distinguished Service Professor
Chair, Department of Surgery Surgeon-in-Chief, University of Chicago Health System
Ryan Merkow, MD, MS

Associate Professor of Surgery
Associate Director of Health Services Research
Director, Surgical Cancer Quality
Director, Hepatic Artery Infusion Regional Cancer Therapies Program
J. Michael Millis, MD

Professor of Surgery
Vice Chair of Global Surgery
Director of Clinical Leadership Development Fellowship
Mecker G. Möller, MD

Professor of Surgery
Program Director, Complex Surgical Oncology Fellowship
Director, Regional Therapies (HIPEC) Program
Cristina O'Donoghue, MD, MPH

Associate Professor of Surgery
Director, Surgical Melanoma Program
Cecilia Ong, MD

Assistant Professor of Surgery
Krunal Pardiwala, MD

Clinical Associate of Surgery
Mitchell C. Posner, MD

Thomas D. Jones Distinguished Service Professor
Chief, General Surgery & Surgical Oncology
Chief Clinical Officer & Physician-in-Chief, UCM Comprehensive Cancer Center
Vivek N. Prachand, MD

Professor of Surgery
Director, Minimally Invasive Surgery
Sarah Shubeck, MD, MS

Assistant Professor of Surgery
Paul Signorino, MD

Clinical Associate of Surgery
Patricia Turner, MD

Clinical Professor of Surgery
Yalini Vigneswaran, MD, MS

Associate Professor of Surgery
Director, Esophageal Diseases
Surgical Director, Education Institute
Program Director, Advanced GI Surgery Fellowship