Theresa Ermer, MD, Dr Med

Theresa is an integrated cardiothoracic surgery resident at Yale, planning to specialize in academic cardiothoracic surgery and lung failure. During medical school in Germany, she spent one year working with the Red Cross in Mexico and received a TRENAL Student Scholarship to complete predoctoral clinical research in Nephrology at University Hospital Erlangen and Yale School of Medicine as part of a 6-year medical research doctorate (Dr. med.), for which she received the Gerda-Weller Prize awarded for one outstanding doctoral thesis per year. She validated a methodology to measure oxalate in the plasma of dialysis patients, led an international clinical study, and helped identify a new risk factor for sudden cardiac death. Before residency, Theresa completed two additional years of postdoctoral research with the Section of Thoracic Surgery at Yale focused on outcomes and disparities in thoracic oncology. Her research efforts have since led to numerous publications in journals (including JAMA and Nature family) and her induction into Sigma Xi. During her first three clinical years, she developed a strong interest in heart and lung failure and cardiothoracic critical care, leading her to most recently join the lab of Dr. Jordan Pober, the Bayer Professor of Translational Medicine and Vice Chair of Immunobiology, for her PhD studies in Investigative Medicine focused on lung transplant rejection. In her free time, she enjoys climbing, weightlifting, and running, as well as exploring snowy Northeast hills, shows in the City, and the myriad vegetarian food options in New Haven.