Department of Surgery

DR. MARK EVERS ACCEPTS DUAL APPOINTMENT: MARKEY DIRECTOR AND PROFESSOR OF SURGERY

The Surgery Department has added to its top-tier excellence with the appointment of Dr. B. Mark Evers, a highly accomplished surgeon, scientific investigator and administrator. In securing Dr. Evers as Professor of Surgery and Director of the Markey Cancer Center, we have an internationally recognized gastrointestinal and endocrine surgeon who brings more than $13 million in research funding from the NIH and the American Cancer Society. Evers has also been appointed Physician-in-Chief of the oncology service line which spans multiple departments at Chandler Medical Center.

Dr. Evers comes to us from the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, TX where he was the Distinguished Chair in General Surgery, Professor of Surgery, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Director of both the Sealy Center for Cancer Cell Biology and UTMB Comprehensive Cancer Center.

A youthful 51, Dr. Evers has already had a prolific career. His 67-page CV is full of accomplishments, honors and achievements. Evers graduated summa cum laude from both undergraduate and medical school at the University of Tennessee. His residency training was at the University of Louisville and his fellowship in gastrointestinal physiology was completed at UTMB where he stayed and rapidly rose through the ranks as a member of the faculty in both the Surgery Department and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. His past administrative and committee responsibilities include Chief of Medical Staff and seats on the MD/Ph.D Advisory Committee and the Research Advisory Council.

Dr. Evers holds four patents. He has mentored over 40 junior faculty, research trainees, graduate students and housestaff. He has published approximately 200 peer-reviewed manuscripts and presented more than 31 lectures at surgical forums. He has authored approximately 60 book chapters, has served as editor or associate editor of six books and is on the editorial board of journals such as Advances in Surgery and Journal of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Evers lists 250 published abstracts and 50 invited lectures. In addition, he has been elected to membership in 15 exclusive scientific societies from Alpha Omega Alpha and Phi Beta Kappa to the Society of University Surgeons and the Southern Surgical Association. He currently serves as President of the Southern Surgical Association.

There is promise that the best is yet to come. Dr Evers’ immediate goals include developing multidisciplinary teams throughout the cancer service at UK.

“I am a surgeon involved in research,” said Evers. “We want to develop teams of clinicians and scientists who are involved with treating organ-specific cancers.”

One of Dr. Evers’ long term goals for the multidisciplinary teams is gaining designation from the National Cancer Institute as a comprehensive cancer center. “This important designation is only granted to centers that demonstrate excellence in research, clinical care and outreach,” said Dr. Evers.

“Mark Evers represents the caliber of leadership that can take [UK cancer service]... to new heights of excellence,” said Dr. Michael Karpf, UK’s executive vice president for health affairs.

Dr. Evers brings to the Surgery Department four research faculty and there are five additional faculty who will work from the Markey Cancer Center. Surgery Department researchers include the following: Piotr Rychahou, MD, MMS, a native of Belarus, is investigating cancer pathway components in colorectal oncology; Hiroshi Saito, Ph.D, a native of Japan, is studying the aging process and its effects on sepsis and the gastrointestinal system; Qingding Wang, MD, a native of China, experience is in pharmacology and medicine; and Jing Li, Ph.D, a native of China, is investigating the gastroenterological peptide hormone secretion. Evers and his researchers have been continuously funded by the NIH for the past 17 years, including a prestigious NIH Merit Award. Dr. Evers has also been named Vice Chair of the Surgery Department responsible for research.

In addition to research initiatives and Markey responsibilities, Dr. Evers expects to continue teaching residents and medical students. He also is looking forward to spending approximately one day during the week in the operating room.

“Dr. Evers will add immesurable value to the surgery department,” said Dr. Joseph Zwischenberger, chair. “He was a colleague of mine at UTMB. I know him as an outstanding surgeon whose research has put him at the national forefront of cancer treatment.”

“I am terribly excited to be here,” said Dr. Evers. “The transformation that UK has made in the past five years is phenomenal. There is excitement in the air!”