Dr. Sharon Weber Recognized as an Exceptional Woman in Medicine by Castle Connolly - Department of Surgery Dr. Sharon Weber, professor and Chair of the Division of Surgical Oncology, was recognized as an Exceptional Woman in Medicine by Castle Connolly.

Congratulations to Dr. Sharon Weber, professor and Chair of the Division of Surgical Oncology, for being recognized as an Exceptional Woman in Medicine by Castle Connolly! #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults Read more: go.wisc.edu/998548

Dr. Ana De Roo Awarded Prestigious Career Development Award from the American Cancer Society - Department of Surgery Dr. Ana Dee, assistant professor in the Division of Colorectal Surgery, was awarded a career development award from the American Cancer Society.

Congratulations to Dr. Ana De Roo, assistant professor in the Division of colorectal Surgery, for receiving a five-year, $715,000 Clinician Scientist Development Grant from @americancancersoc.bsky.social. #ExceptionalPeople Read more: go.wisc.edu/y44946

We had a great time at the General Thoracic Surgical Club meeting in Hawaii! Drs. Joshua Brady and Benjamin Cher, general surgery residents, both presented research at this meeting. #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults

Assessing the Evidence for Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients with Resectable Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Using the Robustness of Inference to Replacement - Annals of Surgical Oncology Annals of Surgical Oncology -

Congratulations to Dr. Benjamin Cher, general surgery resident, for having his article published in Annals of Surgical Oncology. #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults Read more: go.wisc.edu/v79063

Last month, Dr. Carly Sobol, vascular surgery resident, presented her research at the Academic Surgical Congress as a part of the Trainee Research Fellowship Award in Education from @academicsurgery.bsky.social and the Association for Academic Surgery Foundation. #ExceptionalPeople

Five members of the Division of Vascular Surgery stand together in an auditorium

We had a great time at the Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery Annual Spring Meeting in Chicago! So proud of our Division of Vascular Surgery for having a huge presence at this meeting. #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults

Dr. Rebecca Minter and Dr. Girma Tefera stand together making a "W" with their fingers and thumbs.

Dr. Rebecca Minter, Chair of the Department of Surgery, and Dr. Girma Tefera, professor in the Division of Vascular Surgery, recently traveled to Ghana to participate in the ACS-WACS Surgical Leadership Course. #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults

General Surgery Resident Publishes Research about Burnout - Department of Surgery Dr. Sydney Tan, general surgery resident, recently published research about resident burnout in JAMA Network open.

Dr. Sydney Tan, general surgery resident, recently had her research, "Work Hours, Stress, and Burnout Among Resident Physicians," published in JAMA Network Open. #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults Read more: go.wisc.edu/9g551n

Dr. Gretchen Schwarze Awarded the 2026 MacLean Center Prize - Department of Surgery Dr. Margaret “Gretchen” Schwarze was awarded the 2026 MacLean Center Prize in Clinical Ethics and Health Outcomes.

Congratulations to Dr. Gretchen Schwarze, professor in the Division of Vascular Surgery, for receiving the 2026 MacLean Center Prize in Clinical Ethics and Health Outcomes. #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults go.wisc.edu/08r3f3

Four members of Dr. Gibson's lab gather around a computer

Dr. Jasmine Craig standing at the front of a classroom giving a presentation

Dr. Cynthia Kelm-Nelson and a lab member stand next to each other in the lab

Dr. Faith Dickerson giving a poster presentation

Today is International Day of Women and Girls in Science. We are so proud of the life-changing work that all of the women at Wisconsin Surgery do! #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults

Dr. Maddy Tierney looks into a microscope as she works on microsurgery techniques

Dr. Angela Gibson and Dr. Ann O'Rourke stand next to each other for a picture at the UW Burn Conference

Dr. Sharon Weber stands next to a healthcare worker in the operating room

Dr. Katherine Bakke and Dr. Elise Lawson stand next to each other in a large room at the Wisconsin Surgical Society Meeting

It's National Women Physicians Day! We have over 100 exceptional women surgeons and trainees in our department. We are so proud of all the extraordinary work that our women physicians do for the Department of Surgery and beyond. #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults

Odorico Lab Awarded Fall Research Competition Grant to Study How Engineered Stem Cell-Derived Islets Evade the Immune System - Department of Surgery Jon Odorico, MD, was recently awarded a one-year, $70,000 Fall Research Competition grant from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research

Congratulations to Dr. Jon Odorico, professor in the Division of Transplantation, for receiving a one-year, $70,000 Fall Research Competition grant from the Office of Vice Chancellor for Research. #ExceptionalPeople go.wisc.edu/55r1yd

Bringing AI to the OR: Real-World Challenges And What’s Next, With Courtney Balentine, MD, MPH | HCPLive Balentine explains the unique challenges of AI implementation in surgery and reviews his research on current barriers to real-world uptake.

Dr. Courtney Balentine recently joined HCPLive to discuss his new research published in JAMA Surgery about implementing AI in the operating room, including challenges and next steps. #ExceptionalPeople Learn more: go.wisc.edu/n5228p

We wrapped up our Research Summit with our Shark Tank Pitch Competition. It was incredible to hear about cutting-edge surgical research happening in the Department of Surgery. #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults

Murtaza Lab Receives 2025 Badger Challenge Scholar Grant - Department of Surgery Dr. Muhammed Murtaza was recently awarded a one-year, $25,000 Badger Challenge Scholar Grant.

Congratulations to Dr. Muhammed Murtaza, associate professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology, for receiving a one-year, $25,000 Badger Challenge Scholar Grant. #ExceptionalPeople go.wisc.edu/tn0j2i

Project led by Dr. Brigitte Smith Awarded $1.1 Million Grant from AMA - Department of Surgery A team led by Dr. Brigitte Smith has been selected as one of 11 teams to receive funding from the American Medical Association’s (AMA) Transforming Lifelong Learning Through Precision Education Grant ...

Congratulations to Dr. Brigitte Smith and her team for being awarded a $1.1M precision education grant from the @ama-assn.org #ChangeMedEd initiative. #ExceptionalPeople Read more: go.wisc.edu/qufd62

How to become an organ donor, 2026 book club selections, and winter tourism in Wisconsin The organ donation process is explained by two UW Health physicians. Then, we reveal the selections for the 2026 Larry Meiller Show Book Club. Then we talk to the state’s tourism secretary about the b...

Dr. Nikole Neidlinger, associate professor in the Division of Transplantation, joined The Larry Meiller Show to talk about organ donation. #ExceptionalPeople Listen here: go.wisc.edu/6u2y2l

Congratulations to Bailey Donahue (research specialist), Betsy Golomski (GME Program Manager) and Rick Ziegler (CFO) for winning our 2025 staff awards! #ExceptionalPeople

Read about the groundbreaking clinical trial that was made possible by Dr. Dixon Kaufman, our Office of Clinical Research, and our whole kidney team and patients. #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults

Congratulations to Dr. Gretchen Schwarze, professor in the Division of Vascular Surgery, for receiving the UW School of Medicine and Public Health Group on Women in Medicine and Science Impact Award. #ExceptionalPeople go.wisc.edu/0o3fq6

UW researchers tackle diabetes from multiple angles - School of Medicine and Public Health UW School of Medicine and Public Health researchers are seeking new treatments for diabetes and its complications, and searching for a cure.

Approximately 573,000 adults in Wisconsin have diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes. Drs. David Harris and Jon Odorico are researching ways to tackle diabetes, from altering the body’s chemicals to generating insulin-producing beta cells. #ExceptionalPeople go.wisc.edu/76fv96

Congratulations to Cynthia Kelm-Nelson, PhD, Director of Biological Sciences and senior scientist III in the Department of Surgery, for receiving the UW School of Medicine and Public Health Dean's Research Staff Award. #ExceptionalPeople go.wisc.edu/4ld59b
Photo courtesy of Media Solutions

Early action saves Shannon from lung cancer Shannon underwent a biopsy and tumor removal surgery under one anesthesia at UW Health and is now lung cancer free.

A @uwhealth.bsky.social story shares the importance of early detection for lung cancer. Last year, Dr. Andrea Axtell performed a life-saving procedure on a patient whose lung cancer was detected early. #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults go.wisc.edu/wqo9g3

Earlier this fall, Dr. Kristin Long, Vice Chair of Global Surgery, and Dr. Clayton Marcinak, general surgery resident, helped develop and present at the ACS H.O.P.E. Surgical Education Workshop in Hawassa, Ethiopia. #ExceptionalPeople go.wisc.edu/m5w0a2

Transplant Surgeon-Scientist Receives New Investigator Award from Wisconsin Partnership Program - Department of Surgery Dr. Jennifer Philip was recently award a two-year, $150,000 New Investigator Award from the Wisconsin Partnership Program.

Congratulations to Dr. Jennifer Philip, assistant professor in the Division of Transplantation, for receiving a two-year, $150,000 New Investigator Award from the Wisconsin Partnership Program. #ExceptionalPeople go.wisc.edu/69cpfr

Dr. David Harris Honored with Vilas Faculty Early-Career Investigator Award - Department of Surgery Dr. David Harris was awarded the Vilas Faculty Early-Career Investigator Award.

Congratulations to Dr. David Harris, assistant professor in @wiscsurgerymis.bsky.social, for receiving a Vilas Faculty Early-Career Investigator Award! @wiscosurgicalmetab.bsky.social #ExceptionalPeople go.wisc.edu/0ooy91

UW Carbone researchers fight cancer on a global scale The UW Carbone Cancer Center global oncology program joins aims to make cancer detection and treatment more equitable around the world.

Cancer is a growing problem for low- and middle-income countries. Drs. Syed Nabeel Zafar and Muhammad Murtaza are using their cancer research to make an impact abroad. #ExceptionalPeople go.wisc.edu/5vx6yl

Dr. Courtney Balentine Named Executive Director of WiSOR and Director of Data Science - Department of Surgery Dr. Courtney Balentine was named the Executive Director of WiSOR, effective Nov. 1, 2025, and the Director of Data Science.

Congratulations to Dr. Courtney Balentine, associate professor in the Division of Endocrine Surgery, for being named the Executive Director of WiSOR and the Director of Data Science. #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults go.wisc.edu/77char

DOS Research Aims To Improve Breast Cancer Outcomes - Department of Surgery It’s estimated that in 2025 more than 300,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will succumb to the disease. Researchers around the globe are diligen...

Wrapping up Breast Cancer Awareness Month, surgeons and researchers at Wisconsin Surgery share about the ground-breaking research they are conducting to improve breast cancer outcomes. #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults go.wisc.edu/b56peb

Congratulations to Dr. Kevin Wasco, our 2025 Forward Award winner! This award, presented by the Layton Rikkers Surgical Society, recognizes outstanding alumni contributions by our current or former residents, faculty and fellows. #ExceptionalPeople go.wisc.edu/93w408