Dr. Yolonda Colson Speaks at Stanford's
Seventh Dr. James B.D. Mark Family Visiting Professor Lecture
by Roxanna Van Norman
December 16, 2024
The Stanford Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery welcomed Yolonda Colson, MD, as the Seventh Dr. James B.D. Mark Family Visiting Professor on October 22, 2024, at the James H. Clark Center on Stanford campus. She presented her talk titled "'Intent to Cure'…Keeping Our Promise."
Dr. Colson is the Chief of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Hermes C. Grillo Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. She has received multiple National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 grants and was recently elected to the National Academy of Medicine. Notably, she is the first woman to serve as the 103rd President of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) during 2022-2023.
"Dr. Yolonda Colson embodies the extraordinary leadership and vision that drive our field forward. She offered great insights into her journey as an accomplished surgeon and scientist, along with her commitment to advancing innovation and patient care in thoracic surgery,” says Joseph Woo, MD, Chair and the Norman E. Shumway Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery.
Reflecting on her career and influences, Dr. Colson recognized Dr. James B.D. Mark, the namesake for the endowed visiting professorship, for his influential role and contributions to the field. Dr. Mark was the founding head of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at Stanford in 1972.
Dr. Yolonda Colson gives a lecture at Stanford (Photo credit: AGS Photo Art)
Inspired by a recent conversation with Dr. Mark, Dr. Colson emphasized the importance of teaching and learning in everyday interactions. "I believe that what we become depends on what we teach each other, especially when we do not think we are teaching," she said.
She explained how this mindset and her commitment to the field have shaped her career. "It's about the opportunity to do what you like and figure out how to do it and learn what your passion is. For me, it was lung cancer. I wanted to learn about it, treat it, and take care of patients with lung cancers."
Dr. Colson is co-inventor of three awarded patents and has received over twenty grants, including the AATS Alton Ochsner Research Scholarship and seven R29/R01 grants from the NIH and National Cancer Institute. She has over 135 peer-reviewed publications, spanning topics from transplantation to her most recent investigations in sentinel lymph nodes in lung cancer and polymer-mediated drug delivery.
“It was an honor to have Dr. Colson at Stanford, where she shared invaluable insights from her clinical practice and research. It was an opportunity for us to learn from her and for our Stanford researchers to share their work as well,” said Joseph Shrager, MD, Professor and Division Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Stanford.
During her lecture, Dr. Colson discussed her research on using drug-loaded polymer films to prevent lung cancer recurrence and nanoparticles for targeted chemotherapy delivery to lung cancer. She also shared her vision for the future of lung cancer research, including developing new methods for early detection, improved surgical treatments, and innovative technologies like using nanoparticles to enhance outcomes.
She also addressed ongoing challenges in lung cancer treatments and her laboratory's clinical and research efforts to improve therapies. She highlighted the positive impact of increased lung cancer screening on early detection and survival rates - an area where Stanford thoracic surgeons and researchers are working to raise awareness.
"Dr. Colson's lecture was inspirational and aspirational to all who were in attendance. She is constantly pushing innovation and research inquiry to the limits, which is a great example for all of us," said Leah Backhus, MD, MPH, the Thelma and Henry Doelger Professor of Cardiovascular Surgery at Stanford.
Along with her many clinical and research achievements, Dr. Colson has also formally mentored over 30 students, residents, and junior faculty since becoming an attending thoracic surgeon. "Mentoring of residents is among her outstanding accomplishments, and many have greatly benefited from her mentorship," said Dr. Shrager. "She's truly a model for residents on how to select a field of translational research that's directly relevant to their clinical work."
Group photo at the 7th Dr. James B.D. Mark Family Visiting Professor Lecture (Photo credit: AGS Photo Art)
Lillian Tsai, MD, a thoracic surgery fellow in the department, shared her thoughts on Dr. Colson’s mentorship. "It was incredibly inspiring to hear Dr. Colson share her journey to becoming a surgeon-scientist and her commitment to turning ideas into tangible solutions that transform patient care. Having had the privilege of being a research fellow in her lab, reconnecting with such a lifelong mentor during her visiting professorship was a truly special experience – one that reinforced the impact of mentorship and innovation in shaping the field of thoracic surgery."
In addition to mentoring residents like Dr. Tsai, Dr. Colson has guided emerging talents like Jeff Yang, MD, a former general thoracic surgery fellow at Stanford and now an NIH-funded faculty member at Harvard Medical School, helping him advance his career as a surgeon-scientist.
Along with her cardiothoracic surgical training at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dr. Colson's academic training includes a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a medical degree from Mayo Medical School, and a doctorate and general surgery residency at the University of Pittsburgh.
About James B.D. Mark
Dr. Mark was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, and attended Vanderbilt University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1950, and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, receiving his medical degree in 1953. He spent the next 12 years in New Haven: the first seven for his residency in surgery and cardiothoracic surgery at Yale-New Haven Hospital, which included two years of active duty in the United States Public Health Service, and the following five years on the faculty of Yale University School of Medicine. In 1965, Dr. Mark was recruited to Stanford University, where he was appointed Associate Professor of Surgery. He was promoted to professor in 1970 and was awarded the Johnson & Johnson Endowed Professorship in 1978.
Dr. Mark’s first position at Stanford was as Chairman of the Department of Surgery at the newly-affiliated Santa Clara County Hospital (now the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center). In 1970, he moved to Stanford University Hospital, where he concentrated his clinical and research efforts on thoracic surgery. In 1972, the university approved the establishment of the Division of Thoracic Surgery in the Department of Surgery, and Dr. Mark became its founding head, a role he held until he assumed emeritus status in 1996.
Throughout his career, Dr. Mark held several leadership positions, including Associate Dean on two occasions, Acting Chair of the Department of Surgery (1974-1977), and Chief of Staff of Stanford University Hospital (1988-1992). He was a Senior Fulbright-Hays Fellow and Visiting Professor of Surgery at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, during the 1972-1973 academic year. He is a member of numerous professional organizations, and has served as president of seven of them, including the Halsted Society (1984), the Western Thoracic Surgical Association (1992-1993), and the American College of Chest Physicians (1994-1995).
Lecture Photos
Photo credit AGS Photo Art (Amandarose Szezorak)
Reception Photos
Photo credit AGS Photo Art (Amandarose Szezorak)