News

Yale New Haven Hospital achieved a major medical milestone with the state’s first BATMAN (Balloon Assisted Translocation of the Mitral Anterior Leaflet) procedure, offering new hope for patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR) and complex anatomical conditions. Led by Prashanth Vallabhajosyula, MD, and a multidisciplinary team of cardiologists, the innovative transcatheter approach combines the precision of the Basilica procedure with mitral valve implantation to address MR in patients at high surgical risk.

Dr. Sajid Khan, Chief of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary & Mixed Tumors and Co-Director of Team Science at Yale School of Medicine, has been awarded a prestigious NIH-NCI R01 grant alongside Dr. Caroline Johnson, Associate Professor at Yale School of Public Health. Their study, “Role and Regulation of Asparagine in Colorectal Cancer,” explores how asparagine influences sex-specific differences in advanced colorectal cancer progression. The newly-funded project focuses on identifying biomarkers, understanding tumor growth mechanisms, and examining dietary and microbiota-derived asparagine.

The Yale School of Medicine (YSM) Department of Surgery has received a $1 million gift from Raj and Indra Nooyi to establish the Raj and Indra Nooyi Cancer Research Fund.

In an effort to strengthen communication and connection within the department, the launch of the new Coffee Chats initiative introduces structured opportunities for candid, one-on-one conversations between department faculty and the Chair.

Lawrence + Memorial Hospital (L+M) has officially become a key location within the Yale New Haven Health System (YNHHS) to provide specialized breast surgery, marking a significant step in expanding access to expert care.

Dr. Guzman was nominated by peers for his "extraordinary dedication, mentorship, and commitment to fostering a collaborative and supportive environment."

Faculty have selected Elizabeth Berger, MD, MS, and Jennifer Ogilvie, MD, to represent the department as education and clinical representatives on the Yale School of Medicine Faculty Advisory Council (FAC). They join Isibor Arhuidese, MD, MPH, the department’s research representative, ensuring well-rounded faculty representation. The FAC provides an essential platform for communication with the Dean’s Office. Representatives serve two-year terms.

The Procedural Surgeon Scientist Task Force (PSSTF) was launched in May 2024 by Yale School of Medicine Dean Dr. Nancy Brown to address the challenges faced by research faculty in technical specialties, such as surgery and procedural medicine.

A groundbreaking study led by a team of researchers at Yale’s Department of Surgery sheds light on a significant genomic phenomenon that could help explain racial disparities in cancer outcomes.