Vaughn A. Starnes , MD

A recognized expert in heart and lung transplants, repair of congenital heart defects, and heart surgery in children and newborns, Starnes pioneered the living-related double-lobar lung transplant in 1993. He is investigating the use of gene therapy to prevent scarring following heart surgery and is involved in a clinical trial for cardiothoracic surgery using robotic surgery technology.

Dr. Starnes has an ongoing interest in congenital heart disease, heart, lung, heart-lung and living related lung transplantation, coronary bypass grafting, and repair and replacement of the valves of the heart. He is also involved in research, helping develop gene therapy techniques to address the problem of restenosis following balloon angioplasty.

A graduate of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, Dr. Starnes performed his general surgery training at Vanderbilt University, where he also completed two years of research in cardiothoracic physiology and pharmacology. He completed two years at Stanford University as a cardiovascular surgery resident and one year as chief resident in cardiac transplantation under the mentorship of cardiothoracic transplant pioneer Dr. Norman Shumway. These positions were followed by a fellowship in pediatric cardiovascular surgery at the Hospital for Sick Children in London. When he returned to Stanford, he was appointed director of the university?s heart-lung transplantation program. He joined USC in July 1992 and was appointed chairman of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery in 1997.

Research Interests

Dr. Starnes has an ongoing interest in many areas of research. These include congenital heart disease, cadaveric and live-donor organ transplantation, coronary bypass grafting, and repair and replacement of heart valves. He is also involved in bench research, helping develop gene therapy techniques to address problems that occur after balloon angioplasty procedures.

Other Research Interests

• Heart lung transplantation
• Congenital heart surgery
• Lung tissue growth and development

Clinical Interests

Vaughn Starnes, M.D., is a recognized expert in heart and lung transplants, repair of congenital heart defects, and heart surgery in children and newborns. In 1993, Starnes pioneered the living-related double-lobar lung transplant. He is investigating the use of gene therapy to prevent scarring following heart surgery. And he is currently involved in a clinical trial for cardiothoracic surgery using robotic surgery technology.

Starnes earned his medical degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and conducted his general surgery training at Vanderbilt University, where he also completed two years of research in cardiothoracic physiology and pharmacology. He completed cardiovascular surgery residencies at Stanford University as well as the Hospital for Sick Children in London. Prior to joining USC in 1992, he was director of Stanford University's heart-lung transplantation program

Dr. Starnes is the Hastings professor of cardiothoracic surgery and chair of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery in the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California and director of the Heart Institute at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. He also is chief of cardiothoracic surgery services at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. A medical school graduate of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Dr. Starnes did his general surgery training at Vanderbilt University, where he also completed two years of research in cardiothoracic physiology and pharmacology. Dr. Starnes completed two years at Stanford University as a cardiovascular surgery resident and one year as chief resident in cardiac transplantation under the mentorship of cardiothoracic transplant pioneer Dr. Norman Shumway. Dr. Starnes completed a fellowship in pediatric cardiovascular surgery at the Hospital for Sick Children in London. He returned as director of Stanford?s heart-and-lung transplantation program. In 1990, he performed the world?s first lobar transplant using a lung segment from a living, related donor (the girl's mother). The next year, heart and lung transplant was performed on a one-month-old baby, the youngest heart-lung transplant patient ever. He joined USC in 1992, after performing more than 30 lung transplants, 60 heart-lung transplants, 50 pediatric heart transplants and 70 adult heart transplants. That same year, he performed the first live-donor bilateral lobar lung transplant on a patient with cystic fibrosis, taking lung tissue from each parent and transplanting it into their child. Since then, he has performed more living-donor lung transplants in adults and children than any other surgeon. He is a world-recognized leader and innovator in heart, heart-lung and lung transplantation and cardiothoracic surgery, both in adults and children.

Other Clinical Interests

• Pediatric/cogenital heart surgery
• Living lobar donor transplantation
• Minimally invasive cardiac surgery
• Transfusion free (bloodless medicine)
• Cardiothoracic surgery

Degrees

University of North Carolina, MD, 1977

Internships

Vanderbilt University Surgery, 1977 - 1978

Residencies

Vanderbilt University Pharmacology & Surgery, 1978 - 1981
Vanderbilt University - Surgery, 1981 - 1984
Stanford University - Cardiovascular Surgery, 1984 - 1986
Stanford University Cardiac Transpl. Thoracic Surgery, 1986 - 1987

Fellowships

Vanderbilt University Res. Fellow Pharmacology & Surgery, 1979 - 1981
Surgery, 2000 -

Board Certification

American Board of Surgrey, 1985
American Board of Thoracic Surgery, 1988

Memberships

American College of Chest Physicians
American College of Surgeons
American Medical Association

Clinical Affiliation

USC Care Medical Group
USC University Hospital
USC/Norris Cancer Hospital