Surgical Fellowship, 1998-1999

Dr. David C. Linehan is the Seymour Schwartz Distinguished Professor of Surgery and Oncology and Department of Surgery Chair at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC). He holds an additional appointment as the Associate Director of Clinical Research at Wilmot Cancer Institute. As the Founder and Director of the Center for Tumor Immunology Research, he leads a translational research effort that has resulted in several impactful investigator-initiated trials in pancreas cancer and other hepatobiliary malignancies.

As a surgeon-scientist his laboratory has been continuously funded since he completed the Kristin Ann Carr Surgical Oncology fellowship during which he received the American Society of Clinical Oncology Young Investigator Award. Following his fellowship, he was recruited to Washington University in St Louis as an Assistant Professor of Surgery where he rose rapidly through the ranks to become the Chief of the Section of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery. He led a surgery division of four highly productive clinical surgeons. During his time at Washington University School of Medicine, he distinguished himself as a surgeon-scientist and mentored numerous trainees.

In 2014, he was recruited to the University of Rochester as Professor and Chair of the Department of Surgery. Dr. Linehan has recruited 46 surgeons across the 10 surgical divisions in the Department since his arrival.  This growth was in parallel to the hospital’s expansion across the region to better serve the area’s medical needs. Dr. Linehan’s leadership has proven critical as the Wilmot Cancer Institute seeks NCI cancer center designation, as URMC recovers and reemerges from COVID, and as the medical center seeks to expand its footprint in upstate New York.

In addition to his clinical and administrative roles, Dr. Linehan maintains a laboratory within the Center for Tumor Immunology Research. His funding includes an R01 now in its eighth year, a $2 million award from Pancreas Action Network for correlative science, a $1.5 million award from Gateway for Cancer Research to conduct a clinical trial combining first line chemotherapy with checkpoint and immunotherapy, serves as PI on a NIH Diversity award, and leads clinical trials for pancreas cancer. His publications on innate immune cells in the tumor microenvironment have influenced the field of solid tumor immunotherapy, by highlighting the complex mechanisms of the immunosuppressive biology of the tumor microenvironment in PDAC and other cancers. His publications on innate cells in the tumor microenvironment have influenced the field of solid tumor immunotherapy, by highlighting the complex mechanisms of the immunosuppressive biology of the tumor microenvironment. He is an accomplished clinical trialist with a proven track record of completing impactful trials of novel therapies for PDAC using basic science findings emanating from his own lab.

As Chair, Dr. Linehan serves as a leader and mentor for burgeoning scientists and surgeon scientists. His commitment and support for research and education has led to growth in these areas leading to increases in percentage of residents who opt for a two year research fellowship during residency, increased participation by faculty in research, newly independently funded junior faculty, and recruitment of senior surgeon scientists.

Dr. Linehan has had many national and international roles. He has served on the Executive Committee and chaired the Program Committee for the Society of Surgical Oncology. He has served on the Executive Committee and chaired the Program Committee for the Society of Surgical Oncology. He was also appointed to the Program Committee of American Society of Clinical Oncology and served as the Track Leader for Gastrointestinal Cancer. He is a member of the American Surgical Association (where he serves on the Membership Committee) and the Society of Clinical Surgery, the two oldest and most prestigious surgical societies in North America. He was recently inducted into the International Surgical Group, an elite organization comprised of fifty of the most accomplished academic surgeons in the world.