Latest Surgery News & Announcements

John Morton, MD, MPH, MHA, has been elected chair-elect of the Bariatric Surgery and Devices Section of The Obesity Society. A leader in metabolic and bariatric surgery at Yale School of Medicine and Yale New Haven Health, Morton will serve in the chair-elect role through Dec. 31, 2026, before assuming the position of Section Chair on Jan. 1, 2027.

Michael Lerner, MD, and Ryan Rimmer, MD, were inducted into The Triological Society in Phoenix, Ariz. Lerner was recognized for research on quality-of-life outcomes after botulinum toxin treatment, and Rimmer for developing an imaging-based algorithm to improve skull base reconstruction planning. Their induction reflects contributions to advancing clinical and translational research in otolaryngology.

Caroline Richburg, MD, a general surgery research resident, has received the 2026 Conquer Cancer Young Investigator Award for Veteran Cancer from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). She was recognized for her project evaluating how sociobehavioral comorbidities and resource referral influence surgical outcomes in veterans with cancer.

Doctors at Yale Cancer Center have just marked a major milestone in the number of robotic surgeries to treat diseases of organs, including the pancreas, gallbladder, and liver.

For patients with cancer metastases of the abdominal lining, a new Yale trial offers a personalized approach to chemotherapy.

Yale Medicine specialists discuss treatment of spasticity and innovative procedures that can ease symptoms.

The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) has named John Morton, MD, MPH, MHA, as a recipient of its 2026 Distinguished Service Award, one of the society’s highest honors. The award recognizes members for significant contributions to the metabolic and bariatric field, with an emphasis on excellence in service, leadership, and advancing multidisciplinary care.

David Stitelman, MD, has received funding from the Cystic Fibrosis Research Institute to advance his collaborative research on a novel fetal therapy approach for cystic fibrosis. Working with colleagues across pediatric pulmonology, biomedical engineering, and gene editing, his team is developing nanoparticle-based strategies to deliver gene therapies before birth—aimed at preventing organ damage that begins in utero. By combining mRNA delivery and high-fidelity gene editing, this work has the potential to move toward a one-time treatment for cystic fibrosis and establish a new paradigm for treating genetic diseases before birth.

Winston Trope (Yale School of Medicine, Class of 2027) received a 2026 Sustainability Award from the Yale Office of Sustainability for advancing green surgery practices at Yale New Haven Hospital. Over the past academic year, he partnered with perioperative teams at YNHH to reduce operating room waste—diverting thousands of sutures, gloves, and instruments from disposal—while also advancing trainee education in environmentally responsible surgical practices.