Maria C. Russell, MD
Dr. Maria C. Russell is a surgical oncologist at Emory University’s Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology and the Wadley R. Glenn Chair of Surgery for Academic Programs at Emory University School of Medicine and the Chief Quality Officer at Winship Cancer Institute. She also co-directs the Surgical Grand Rounds for Emory University School of Medicine.[1]
Dr. Russell’s expertise lies in the treatment of complex gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary malignancies. She works as part of a multidisciplinary team that includes medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and pathologists to develop appropriate treatment plans for each patient, including the use of cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for patients with advanced-stage malignancies like peritoneal mesothelioma.
Education and Career
Dr. Russell earned her medical degree from the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. She completed an internship and residency in General Surgery, as well as a two-year research sabbatical in the Transplant Immunology Lab, at Emory University School of Medicine. She then completed a Surgical Oncology fellowship at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and then returned to Emory University’s Department of Surgery as a faculty member.[1]
Professional Memberships and Activities
Dr. Russell is an active member of the multi-disciplinary Tumor Boards at Emory and is the co-chair and chair of the Tumor Boards at Winship Cancer Institute at Emory Midtown and Grady Memorial Hospital. She also serves as the Cancer Liaison Physician for the Commission on Cancer at Grady. Additionally, she is a member of the American College of Surgeons and the HepatoPancreato-Biliary Association and was appointed chair of the Georgia Society of the American College of Surgeons (GSACS) Commission on Cancer (CoC) in 2020.[1]
Research
Dr. Russell’s research is focused on studying disparities in the presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of patients with gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary malignancies. She is the primary investigator in a multi-institutional collaboration for Safety Net Hospitals focusing on the underserved population and she is the co-chair for the Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Patient Experience Project.[1]
Dr. Russell’s research has been published in many professional medical journals. She is frequently invited to present her findings at national conferences.
Her recent publications include:[2]
ASO Visual Abstract: Simple Preoperative Imaging Measurements Predict Postoperative Pancreatic Fistula After Pancreatoduodenectomy. Sok, C., Ajay, P., Goyal, S., Sandhu, S., Shah, H., Russell, M., Cardona, K., Maegawa, F., Maithel, S., Sarmiento, J., Kooby, D., Shah, M.>; Annals of Surgical Oncology. 2024 Mar 1
ASO Visual Abstract: Perceptions of Readiness for Practice After Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship: A Survey Study. Shay Behrens, Heather A Lillemoe, Sean P Dineen, Maria C Russell, Brendan Visser, Russell S Berman, Jeffrey M Farma, Elizabeth Grubbs, Jeremy L Davis>; Annals of Surgical Oncology. 2024 Feb 1
Simple Preoperative Imaging Measurements Predict Postoperative Pancreatic Fistula After Pancreatoduodenectomy. Caitlin Sok, Sameer Sandhu, Hardik Shah, Pranay S Ajay, Maria C Russell, Kenneth Cardona, Felipe Maegawa, Shishir K Maithel, Juan Sarmiento, Subir Goyal, David A Kooby…>; Annals of Surgical Oncology. 2024 Mar 1
