Curriculum Vitae
Jonathan D'Cunha, M.D., Ph.D.

EDUCATION:

B.S., Molecular Biology, 1990
University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin

Ph.D., Microbiology, 1995
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

M.D., 1997
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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POSTDOCTORAL TRAINING:

Internship and Residencies (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN)

1997 - 1998
Intern in Surgery

1998 - 2000
Junior Resident in Surgery

2002 - 2004
Senior and Chief Resident in Surgery

2004 - 2007
Fellow, Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery

Research and Clinical Fellowships

1995
Research Associate
University of Maryland Cancer Center and Department of Microbiology/Immunology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland

2000 - 2002
Clinical Infectious Disease Fellow
Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

2000 - 2002
Research Fellow
Laboratory of Dr. Michael Maddaus, Section of General Thoracic Surgery, Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

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LICENSURE AND CERTIFICATION:

1997   Basic Life Support
1997   Advanced Cardiac Life Support
1997   Advanced Trauma and Life Support
1998   Advanced Trauma and Life Support Instructor
1999   National Board of Medical Examiners
2000   Minnesota Medical License
2000   DEA License
2005   da Vinci Robotic Surgical System Certified
2005   Diplomat, American Board of Surgery

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MEDICAL AND ACADEMIC SOCIETIES:

Member, American College of Surgeons Candidate and Associate Society
Member, Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society
Membership pending, Society of Thoracic Surgeons, Candidate Member

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FELLOWSHIPS, HONORS, AND AWARDS:

Fellowships

University of Wisconsin Biotechnology Fellow, Biotechnology Consortium of the University of Wisconsin, 1989
Medical Scientist Training Program Fellow, Medical College of Wisconsin, May 1990 – May 1997
American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellow, July 1993 – June 1994
Cancer and Leukemia Group B Oncology Fellow, July 2001 – June 2002

Honors and Awards

Dean's List, University of Wisconsin

Analytical Chemistry Undergraduate of the Year, American Chemical Society, 1989

Presidential Award Finalist, 6th Annual Meeting of the Society for Biological Therapy, 1992

Presidential Award Finalist, 8th Annual Meeting of the Society for Biological Therapy, 1994

C. Walton Lillehei Resident Forum Finalist, 81st Annual Meeting of the American Assoc. for Thoracic Surgery, San Diego, CA, 2001

Best Poster Presentation, 35th Annual Meeting of the Association for Academic Surgery, Milwaukee, WI, 2001

Zieve Award for Outstanding Resident Research, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN, 2002

Arnold P. Gold Foundation Award for Humanism and Excellence in Teaching, 2003

David Gaviser Award, 2003.  Awarded annually to the University of Minnesota resident in surgery deemed to have authored the most outstanding and productive paper as well as shown a deep level of compassion towards patients and their families

Earl G. Young Memorial Fellowship, 2002-2003.  Awarded annually to the University of Minnesota Senior Resident in Surgery, Park Nicollet Clinic, Methodist Hospital and Park Nicollet Health Services in recognition of outstanding performance

Cassius Ellis Resident Teaching Award, 2003-2004.  Awarded annually to the University of Minnesota Chief Resident in Surgery for exemplary teaching, fostering a desire to learn, and mentoring the PGY-1,2,&3 residents

Administrative Chief Resident for the University of Minnesota General Surgery Training Program, 2003-2004

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MAJOR COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS:

Medical School

Resident Representative, Graduate Medical Education Committee, University of Minnesota 2000-2004

Departmental

Resident Representative, Surgical Education Council, Department of Surgery, 2002-2004

University of Minnesota

Resident Representative, Search Committee for the Cardiovascular and Thoracic 2005-2006
Surgery Chief, Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota

National

Resident Representative, Thoracic Surgery Directors Association Curriculum Committee 2006-2007

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RESEARCH INTERESTS:

Micrometastases and their potential biological significance in non-small cell lung cancer
Molecular mechanisms of lung cancer metastasis
Bronchial artery infusion of chemotherapeutic agents as a novel therapy for lung cancer

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GRANT FUNDING:

1. Molecular Staging of Lung Cancer:  Quantitation of Micrometastatic Tumor Burden in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.  Funded by The Cancer and Leukemia Group B.  Principal Investigator:  Jonathan D’Cunha (under direction of Michael Maddaus).  July 1, 2001 – June 30, 2002.

2. Development of an Intraoperative Assay to Quantitate Micrometastatic Tumor Burden.  Funded by the Department of Surgery Research Council.  Principal Investigator:  Jonathan D’Cunha (under direction of Michael Maddaus).  July 1, 2001 – June 30, 2002.

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CLINICAL TRIALS:

A phase I study evaluating bronchial artery infusion of gemcitabine in patients with recurrent or progressive non-small cell lung cancer.  Approved by the University of Minnesota Cancer Center Protocol Review Committee, May 2000.

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PATENTS:

D'Cunha J, Knight Jr E, Borden EC:  Method of proliferating NK/LAK cells.  U.S. Patent 5,919,700.  Issued July 6, 1999.

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PHILANTHROPY:

The Karl Mueller Fund has been established for thoracic oncology research at the University of Minnesota in appreciation of the work of physicians Michael Maddaus, George Adams, and Jonathan D’Cunha.

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PUBLICATIONS:

PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLES:

1. Drossman H, Luckey JA, Kosticha AJ, D'Cunha J, Smith LM:  High-speed separations of DNA sequencing reactions by capillary electrophoresis.  Analytical Chemistry 62:900-903, 1990.

2. Luckey JA, Drossman H, Kosticha AJ, Mead DA, D'Cunha J, Norris TB, Smith LM:  High-speed DNA sequencing by capillary electrophoresis.  Nucleic Acids Research 18:4417-4421, 1990.

3. D'Cunha J, Berson BJ, Brumley RL, Wagner PR, Smith LM.  An automated instrument for the performance of enzymatic DNA sequencing.  BioTechniques 9:80-90, 1990.

4. Kladde, MP, D'Cunha J, Gorski. J:  Multiple transitions to non-B DNA structures occur in the distal regulatory region of the rat prolactin gene.  Journal of Molecular Biology 229:344-367, 1992.

5. D'Cunha J, Borden EC:  Immunoregulatory properties of ISG15, a novel interferon-induced cytokine.  Ph.D. thesis (UMI publication number 9700860).  Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 1995.

6. D'Cunha J, Knight Jr. E, Haas AL, Truitt RL, Borden EC:  Immunoregulatory properties of ISG15, a novel interferon-induced cytokine.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 93:211-215, 1996.

7. D'Cunha J, Ramanujam S, Wagner RJ, Witt PL, Knight Jr. E, Borden EC:  In vitro and in vivo production of ISG15, a novel interferon-induced immunomodulatory cytokine. Journal of Immunology 157:4100-4108, 1996.

8. Taylor JL, D'Cunha J, Tom P, O'Brien WJ, Borden EC:  Production of ISG-15, an interferon-inducible protein, in corneal cells. Journal of Interferon and Cytokine Research 16:937-940, 1996.

9. Mahnke-Zizelman DK, D'Cunha J, Wojnar J, Brogley MA, Sabina RL:  Regulation of rat AMP deaminase 3 (isoform C) by development and skeletal muscle fiber type.  Biochem J. 326:521-529, 1997.

10. Colwell AS, D’Cunha J, Maddaus MA:  Carney’s triad: paragangliomas.  Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 121:1011-1012, 2001.

11. D’Cunha J, Larson CE, Landis GH:  Development and implementation of an Internet-based evaluation system for a surgical residency program.  Owen H. Wangensteen Surgical Forum LII:486-488, 2002.

12. D’Cunha J, Corfits AL, Herndon II JE, Kern JA, Kohman LJ, Patterson GA, Kratzke RA, Maddaus MA:  Molecular staging of lung cancer:  real-time PCR estimation of lymph node micrometastatic tumor cell burden in stage I NSCLC.  Preliminary results of Cancer and Leukemia Group B Trial 9761.  Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 123:484-491, 2002.

13. D’Cunha J, Colwell AS, Vargas SO, Parker B, Dal Cin P, Maddaus MA.  Synovial sarcoma of the pleura:  a clinical and pathologic study of three cases.  Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 124:828-832, 2002.

14. D’Cunha J, Maddaus MA:  Surgical treatment of tracheal and carinal tumors.  Chest Surgery Clinics of North America, 13:95-110, 2003.

15. D’Cunha J, Larson CE, Maddaus MA, Landis GH:  An Internet-based evaluation system for a surgical residency program. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 196:905-910, 2003.

16. Vollmer RT, Herndon JE, D’Cunha J, Abraham NZ, Solberg J, Fatourechi M, Maruska A, Kern JA, Green MR, Kratzke RA, Maddaus MA:  Immunohistochemical detection of occult lymph node metastases in non-small cell lung cancer:  anatomical pathology results from Cancer and Leukemia Group B Trial 9761.  Clinical Cancer Research, 9:5630-5635, 2003.

17.  Hoang C, D’Cunha J, Casmey CE, Frizelle SP, Maddaus MA, Kratzke RA:  Gene expression profiling identifies matriptase overexpression in malignant mesothelioma. Chest, 125:1843-1852, 2004.

18. Hoang C, D’Cunha J, Tawfic SH, Gruesnner AC, Kratzke RA, Maddaus MA:  Expression profiling of non-small cell lung carcinoma identifies metastatic genotypes based on lymph node tumor burden.  Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 127:1332-1342, 2004.

19.  Ho SB, Hyslop A, Albrecht R, Jacobson A, Spencer M, Rothenberger D, Niehans GA, D’Cunha J, Kratzke RA:  Identification of colorectal cancer micrometastases using nested and real-time RT-PCR analysis of CEA in lymph nodes.  Clinical Cancer Research, 10:5777-5784, 2004.

20. D’Cunha J, Herndon JE 2nd, Herzan DL, Patterson GA, Kohman LJ, Harpole DH, Kernstine KH, Kern JA, Green MR, Maddaus MA, Kratzke RA; for the Cancer and Leukemia Group B:  Poor correlation between clinical and pathological staging in stage I non-small cell lung cancer:  results from Cancer and Leukemia Group B 9761, a prospective trial.  Lung Cancer, 48:241-246, 2005.

21. Banton KL, D’Cunha J, Laudi N, Flynn C, Hammerschmidt D, Humar A, Sielaff T:  Postoperative severe microangiopathic hemolytic anemia associated with a giant hepatic cavernous hemangioma.  Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, 9(5):679-685, 2005.

22. Liao KK, D’Cunha J, John R, Joyce LD, Boyle A, Missov E, Colvin-Adams M, Bolman III RM, Miller L:  High incidence of suboptimal location of left ventricular pacing leads in patients who failed cardiac resynchronization therapy.  Manuscript submitted to the Chest, 2006, in press.

23. D’Cunha J and Maddaus MA.  The use of real-time PCR in thoracic disease.  Chest Surgery Clinics of North America, 2006, in press.

24. D’Cunha J and Kratzke RA.  Detection of micrometastatic disease and metastatic potential in non-small cell lung cancer. Cancer Detection and Prevention, 2006, in press.

25. Whitson BA, D’Cunha J, Maddaus MA.  Minimally invasive cancer surgery improves patient survival through less perioperative immunosuppression. Medical Hypotheses, 2006, in press.

26. Whitson BA, D’Cunha J, Ikramuddin S, Buchwald, H, Panoskaltsis-Mortari A, Kratzke RA, Miller JS, Maddaus MA.  Minimally invasive versus open surgery:  impact of immune effector cells.  Manuscript submitted to The Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, 2006.

27. Whitson BA, D’Cunha J, Knutsen AC, Boyle AJ, Liao KK.  Levitronix ventricular assist device as a bridge to recovery after profound biventricular heart failure associated with pulmonary aspergillosis.  Manuscript submitted to Chest, 2006.

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BOOK CHAPTERS:

1. Luckey JA, D'Cunha J, Smith LM.  High speed DNA sequencing and the analysis of the human genome.  In Biotechnology:  Bridging Research and Applications.  D. Kamerly, A.M. Chakrabarty, and S.E. Kornguth (eds).  Norwell, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers, Norwell, MA, 1991:333-340.

2. Witt PL, Lindner DL, D'Cunha J, Borden EC.  Pharmacology of interferons.  In Cancer Chemotherapy and Biotherapy, 585-607.  B. Chabner (ed).  Philadelphia, PA: JB Lippincott, 1997:585-607.

3. D’Cunha J, Hoang CD, Maddaus MA.  The use of genetic science in thoracic disease.  In Sabiston DC, Jr. and Spencer FC (eds.), Surgery of the Chest (7th Edition), Philadelphia: WB Saunders, 2004:711-721. 

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ABSTRACTS:

1. D'Cunha J, Berson BJ, Brumley RL, Wagner PR, Smith LM:  An automated instrument for the performance of enzymatic DNA sequencing.  American Association of Robotics Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts, 1990.

2. D'Cunha J, Knight Jr E, Haas AL, Borden EC:  An interferon-induced 15-kDa protein enhances the proliferation of lymphocytes in vitro.  6th Annual Meeting of the Society for Biological Therapy, Williamsburg, Virginia, 1992.

3. D'Cunha J, Knight Jr E, Haas AL, Borden EC:  An interferon-induced 15-kDa protein enhances the proliferation of lymphocytes in vitro.  8th Annual Medical Scientist Training Program Conference, Aspen, Colorado, 1993.

4. D'Cunha J, Ramanujam S, Knight Jr E, Borden EC:  Characterization of secretion patterns of an IFN-induced 15-kDa protein from peripheral blood mononuclear cells.  Annual Meeting of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.  Anaheim, California, 1994.

5. D'Cunha J, Knight Jr E, Borden EC:  An IFN-induced 15-kDa protein enhances the proliferation of NK cells and induces the formation of LAK cells.  8th Annual Meeting of the Society for Biological Therapy, Napa, California, 1994.

6. D'Cunha J, Taylor JL, Tom P, O'Brien WJ, Borden EC:  Production of the interferon-inducible protein, p15, in human cornea stromal cells.  Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, 1995.

7. Ramanujam S, D'Cunha J, Witt PL, Knight Jr E, Borden EC:  Serum ISG15 levels in response to interferon-BetaSER administration.  Annual Meeting of the International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research, Baltimore, Maryland, 1995.

8. D'Cunha J, Knight Jr E, Borden EC:  Activation of NK-derived LAK cells by ISG15, an IFN-induced immunomodulator.  Annual Meeting of the International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research, Baltimore, Maryland, 1995.

9. D’Cunha J, Corfits AL, Maddaus MA:  Quantitation of micrometastatic tumor burden in non-small cell lung cancer by real-time polymerase chain reaction.  Spring Meeting of the Minnesota Surgical Society, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2001. 

10. D’Cunha J, Corfits AL, Kratzke RA, Maddaus MA:  Molecular staging of lung cancer:  quantitation of micrometastatic tumor burden by quantitative polymerase chain reaction.  4th Annual C. Walton Lillehei Resident Forum, 81st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, San Diego, California, 2001.

11. Ho SB, Anway RE, Hyslop AE, D’Cunha J, Kratzke RA, Tanaka S, Sakoda A, Utsunomiya T, Yonezawa S:  Comparison of MUC1/MUC6 mucins and CEA for identification of gastric cancer micrometastses in lymph nodes using qualitative and real-time PCR analysis.  Annual Meeting of the Digestive Disease Week Society, Atlanta, Georgia, 2001.

12. Hoang CD, Parker B, D’Cunha J, Maddaus MA:  Quantitation of epidermal growth factor receptor in non small cell lung carcinoma by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.  Minnesota Surgical Society, Duluth, Minnesota, 2001.

13. D’Cunha J, Larson CE, Landis G:  Development and implementation of an Internet-based evaluation system for a surgical residency program. Surgical Forum, 87th Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2001.

14. D’Cunha J, Maddaus MA:  The influence of surgical technique on functional outcome of gastric substitution following esophagectomy.  64th Annual Course: Advances in Gastrointestinal and GI Laparoscopic Surgery, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2001.

15. D’Cunha J, Parker B, Maddaus MA:  Quantitation of epidermal growth factor receptor expression in early stage NSCLC by real-time PCR.  35th Annual Meeting of the Association for Academic Surgery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 2001.

16. D’Cunha J, Kratzke MG, Alter MD, Polunovsky VA, Bitterman PB, Kratzke RA:  Overexpression of the translational repressor 4E-BP1 inhibits NSCLC tumorigenicity in vivo.  93rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, San Francisco, California, 2002.

17. D’Cunha J, Olson MC, Thompson L, Kwiatkowski R, Neri B, Maddaus MA, Kratzke RA: A rapid, RNA-based invasive cleavage assay for molecular staging of cancer.  93rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, San Francisco, California, 2002.

18. Ho S, Albrecht R, Hyslop A, Niehans G, Spencer M, D’Cunha J, Kratzke RA: Quantification of carcinoembryonic-positive micrometastases in lymph nodes of patients with colon cancer using real-time PCR analysis.  Annual Meeting of the Digestive Disease Week Society, San Francisco, California, 2002.

19. D’Cunha J, Hubbard J, Kratzke RA, Maddaus MA:  Limitations of carcinoembryonic antigen RT-PCR analysis:  implications for detection of micrometastatic tumor cells.   Surgical Forum, 88th Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons, San Francisco, California, 2002.

20. Hoang CD, D’Cunha J, Kratzke RA, Maddaus MA:  Microarray analysis of non-small cell lung carcinoma: genotyping metastatic potential.  Surgical Forum, 88th Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons, San Francisco, California, 2002.

21. D’Cunha J, Kratzke RA, Maddaus MA:  Molecular staging of lung cancer: real-time PCR estimation of lymph node micrometastatic tumor cell burden in stage I NSCLC: preliminary results of Cancer and Leukemia Group B trial 9761, 3rd Annual Cancer Center Symposium, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2002.

22. Hoang CD, D’Cunha J, Kratzke RA, Maddaus MA:  Expression profiles in malignant mesothelioma.  36th Annual Meeting of the Association for Academic Surgery, Boston, Massachusetts, 2002.

23. Hoang CD, D’Cunha J, Tawfic SH, Kratzke RA, Maddaus MA:  Expression profiling of non-small cell lung carcinoma identifies metastatic genotypes based on lymph node tumor burden.  6th Annual C. Walton Lillehei Resident Forum, 83rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, Boston, Massachusetts, 2003.

24. D’Cunha J, Herzan DL, Patterson A, Harpole D, Kohman L, Kern J, Green M, Kratzke RA, Maddaus MA:  Poor correlation between clinical and pathological staging in early stage non-small cell lung cancer: results of a multi-institutional, prospective trial.  Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Chicago, Illinois, 2003.

25. Kratzke RA, Vollmer RT, D’Cunha J, Herndon JE, Abraham NZ, Kern JA, Green MR, Maddaus MA:  Immunohistochemical detection of occult lymph node metastases in non-small cell lung cancer: anatomical and pathology results from Cancer and Leukemia Group B trial 9761.  Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Chicago, Illinois, 2003.

26. Scott PD, Hoang CD, D’Cunha J, Maddaus MA, Kratzke RA:  Gene profile of the insulin-like growth factor system in malignant mesothelioma: potential impact on oncogenic mechanisms.  Minnesota Surgical Society, Duluth, Minnesota, 2003.

27. D’Cunha J, Drawz PE, Hoang CD, Bliss RL, Dahlberg PS, Skubitz KM, Maddaus MA:  Pleural fluid output predicts failure of video-assisted talc pleurodesis for malignant effusions.  Minnesota Surgical Society, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2004.

28.  Hoang CD, Koh PS, Scott PD, D’Cunha J, Maddaus MA:  Objective outcomes after laparoscopic giant hiatal hernia repair: minimization of hernia recurrence.  Surgical Forum, 90th Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons, New Orleans, LA, 2004.

29. Banton KL, D’Cunha J, Laudi N, Flynn C, Hammerschmidt D, Humar A, Sielaff T:  Postoperative severe microangiopathic hemolytic anemia associated with a giant hepatic cavernous hemangioma.  Minnesota Surgical Society, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2005.

30. Liao KK, D’Cunha J, John R, Joyce LD, Boyle A, Missov E, Colvin-Adams M, Bolman III RM, Miller L:  High incidence of suboptimal location of left ventricular pacing leads in patients who failed cardiac resynchronization therapy.  Society of Thoracic Surgeons Annual Meeting, 2006.

31. D’Cunha J and Shumway SJ:  Myocardial revascularization in patients with a porcelain ascending aorta:  operative approaches to avoid the aortic clamp.  Minnesota Surgical Society, Minneapolis, MN, 2006.

32. Whitson BA, D’Cunha J, Ikradmuddin S, Buchwald H, Miller J, Kratzke RA, Maddaus MA:  The effect of major abdominal surgery by minimally invasive versus open approaches on immune effector cells.  Minnesota Surgical Society, Minneapolis, MN, 2006.

33. Maddaus MA, Wang X, Vollmer RT, Abraham NZ, D’Cunha J, Herzan DL, Patterson A, Kohman LJ, Green MR, Kratzke RA: CALGB 9761: A prospective analysis of IHC and PCR based detection of occult metastatic disease in stage I NSCLC.  Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Atlanta, GA, 2006.

34. D’Cunha J, Herzan D, Kratzke RA, Maddaus MA:  CALGB 9761: A prospective analysis of molecular-based detection of micrometastatic disease in stage I NSCLC.  Minnesota Surgical Society and MN Chapter of the American College of Surgeons Fall Conference, Deerwood, MN, 2006.

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