I’m an endocrine surgeon, focusing on three endocrine glands: the thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal glands. I also serve as associate professor for the Ohio State University College of Medicine. In my career, I have performed more than 3,000 neck surgeries and 100+ robotic adrenalectomies. I was rated in the top 10 percent of physicians in the nation for patient satisfaction in 2016 and 2017.

In addition to a busy clinical practice, I have a research lab focused on thyroid cancer with two ongoing research projects. The first is examining a novel AMPK activator for the treatment of thyroid cancer. I’m currently studying the mechanism of action to potentially use synergistically with known BRAF inhibitors. My second research project is creating a molecular imaging agent for medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) and parathyroid tumors. The calcium sensing-receptor (CaSR) is expressed primarily on parathyroids, thyroid C-cells and the kidney, as well as in MTC. Further development may allow pre-operative and intra-operative detection to improve surgical outcomes.

Here at Ohio State we’re fortunate to have one of the few – and best – multidisciplinary treatment teams in the country. We care for patients while also focusing on cutting-edge research. Our team at the OSUCCC – James is a part of two large, multi-investigator NIH grants of more than $25 million dollars funding thyroid cancer research. The camaraderie and expertise among my colleagues is fantastic. There is a singular focus among us, and that’s to create a cancer-free world.