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Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah (the U) is honored to announce that Thomas Varghese Jr., MD, MS, MBA, FACS, has been named the new editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS). Varghese will step into this distinguished role on March 1, 2025. This appointment is a testament to his dedication and leadership in surgical science and oncology and represents continued strong leadership from Huntsman Cancer Institute.
The American College of Surgeons is the world’s largest surgical society, with 93,000 members worldwide—including 65 U.S. chapters and 59 international chapters in 56 countries. JACS has been published continuously since 1905, and is a prestigious, monthly peer-reviewed journal that publishes critical advancements in surgical science and practice. Each issue includes original scientific articles, comprehensive reviews, and experimental studies with direct clinical implications, along with a dedicated section highlighting surgeons in action.
“We are thrilled to congratulate Dr. Varghese on his new role as editor-in-chief of JACS. His dedication to advancing surgical innovation and his commitment to educating and empowering leaders in the field reflect our mission to shape the future of cancer care and research.”
Neli Ulrich, PhD, MS
Chief scientific officer and executive director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor of population health sciences at the U
“It is one of the world’s oldest surgical scientific journals and it is an incredible honor to be the eighth editor-in-chief in its history,” says Varghese. “There is an outstanding foundation of excellence built by all the prior editors-in-chief and the JACS editorial team.”
Varghese is an accomplished leader in thoracic surgical oncology, currently serving as associate chief medical quality officer at Huntsman Cancer Hospital, chief value officer at Huntsman Cancer Institute, and chief of general thoracic surgery at the U. In his role as a tenured professor in the Department of Surgery, he is dedicated to advancing medical education.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have leaders like Dr. Varghese at Huntsman Cancer Institute. His appointment as editor-in-chief of JACS is a well-deserved recognition of his exceptional contributions to surgical oncology. We look forward to seeing the innovative strides he will make in this prestigious role.”
Sachin Apte, MD, MS, MBA
Chief clinical officer and physician-in-chief at Huntsman Cancer Institute
Varghese is the director of the newly launched HCI Innovative Medical Practices Advancing Care Transformation (IMPACT) Center. The HCI IMPACT Center aims to innovate and implement best practices in cancer care delivery across urban, rural, and frontier populations. Varghese is also the founder of the Strong for Surgery program, a quality improvement initiative adopted by the American College of Surgeons. His research includes an NCI-funded trial on exercise interventions for lung cancer surgery patients.
“I am deeply honored to lead JACS and look forward to building upon its legacy by fostering innovation and collaboration within the surgical community. Together, we can advance research and education that will benefit both surgeons and patients alike.”
Thomas Varghese Jr., MD, MS, MBA, FACS
Associate chief medical quality officer and chief value officer at Huntsman Cancer Institute and chief of general thoracic surgery at the U
Huntsman Cancer Institute is the National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center for Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming and is supported by the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute including P30 CA042014 and Huntsman Cancer Foundation.
Media Contact
Heather Simonsen
Public Affairs Senior Manager
Huntsman Cancer Institute
801 581-3194
public.affairs@hci.utah.edu
About Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah is the National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center for Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming. With a legacy of innovative cancer research, groundbreaking discoveries, and world-class patient care, we are transforming the way cancer is understood, prevented, diagnosed, treated, and survived. Huntsman Cancer Institute focuses on delivering the most advanced cancer healing and prevention through scientific breakthroughs and cutting-edge technology to advance cancer treatments of the future beyond the standard of care today. We have more than 300 open clinical trials and 250 research teams studying cancer. More genes for inherited cancers have been discovered at Huntsman Cancer Institute than at any other cancer center. Our scientists are world-renowned for understanding how cancer begins and using that knowledge to develop innovative approaches to treat each patient’s unique disease. Huntsman Cancer Institute was founded by Jon M. and Karen Huntsman.