Education

Postgraduate Training

Biography

Maria C. Russell, MD, is certified by the American Board of Surgery and started practicing with Emory Healthcare in 2012. Dr. Russell completed her general surgery residency at Emory University as well as a research fellowship in the Transplant Immunology Lab under the mentorship of Dr. Chris Larsen. Throughout her residency and fellowship training she received a variety of clinical and research awards, presented at national meetings, and co-authored numerous publications. After completion of her surgical oncology fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center, she returned to the Department of Surgery as a faculty member with a specific focus on complex gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary malignancies and melanoma/sarcoma.  Additionally, Dr. Russell is an expert in the performance of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (HIPEC), an innovative cancer treatment that delivers highly concentrated, heated chemotherapy directly to the abdomen.

Research Interest

• The clinical investigation and outcomes analysis of patients with malignancies of the stomach, liver, pancreas, small intestine, and neuroendocrine tumors
• Examining effects of multimodality treatment in complex gastrointestinal malignancies including stomach, liver, bile duct, pancreas and intestinal tumors.
• Clinical and translational research involving tumors of the skin and soft tissue.
• She is especially interested in applying this research to underserved populations

Professional Activities:

Committee Memberships
Regional/Institutional

• Cancer Liaison Physician, Commission on Cancer
• Surgery Resident Education Committee
• Clinical Council Cancer Committee
• Grady Memorial Hospital Cancer Committee
• Physician Assistant Program Director Search Committee
• Gastrointestinal Multidisciplinary Tumor Conference Committee, Emory University Midtown
• Gastrointestinal Multidisciplinary Tumor Conference Committee, Grady Health System
• Gastrointestinal Multidisciplinary Tumor Conference Committee, Emory University Hospital
• Melanoma Tumor Board Committee, Emory University/Emory University Midtown
• Sarcoma Multidisciplinary Tumor Board, Emory University/Emory University Midtown

National

• Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Membership Committee, AHPBA

Publications

1. Dann GC, Squires MH, Postlewait LM, Kooby, DA, Poultsides GA, Weber SM, Bloomston M, Fields RC, Pawlik TM, Votanopoulos KI, Schmidt CR, Ejaz A, Acher AW, Worhunsky DJ, Saunders N, Levine EA, Jin LX, Cho CS, Winslow ER, Russell MC, Cardona K, Staley CA, Maithel SK.  “An assessment of feeding jejunostomy tube placement at the time of resection for gastric adenocarcinoma:  A seven-institution analysis of 837 patients from the U.S. gastric cancer collaborative.  J Surg Oncol. 2015 Aug 4.
2. Squires, MH, Kooby, DA, Poultsides GA, Weber SM, Bloomston M, Fields RC, Pawlik TM, Votanopoulos KI, Schmidt CR, Ejaz A, Acher AW, Worhunsky DJ, Saunders N, Levine EA, Lin LX, Cho CS, Winslow ER, Russell MC, Staley CA, Maithel SK.  “Effect of perioperative transfusion on recurrence and survival after gastric cancer resection:  A 7-institution analysis form the US gastric cancer collaborative.”  J Am Coll Surg.  2015 Sept:221(3):767-77.
3. Farley C, Alimi Y, Espinosa LR, Perez S, Knechtle W, Hestley A, Carlson GW, Russell MC, Delman KA, Rizzo M.  “Tanning beds:  A call to action for further educational and legislative efforts.”  J Surg Oncol.  2015 Jul 17.
4. Dann GC, Squires MH, Postlewait LM, Kooby, DA, Poultsides GA, Weber SM, Bloomston M, Fields RC, Pawlik TM, Votanopoulos KI, Schmidt CR, Ejaz A, Acher AW, Worhunsky DJ, Saunders N, Swords DS, Jin LX, Cho CS, Winslow ER, Russell MC, Staley CA, Maithel SK, Cardona K.  “Value of peritoneal drain placement after total gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma:  A multi-institutional analysis from the US gastric cancer collaporative.  Ann Surg Oncol.  2015 May 29
5. Squires MH, Lad NL, Fisher SB, Kooby DA, Weber SM, Brinkman A, Sarmiento JM, Scoggins CR, Egger ME, Cardona K, Cho CS, Martin RC, Russell MC, Winslow E, Staley CA, Maithel SK.  “Value of primary operative drain placement after major hepatectomy:  a multi-institutional analysis of 1,041 patients.”  J Am Coll Surg. 2015 Apr;220(4):396-402.
6. Russell MC, Delman KA.  “Comparative effectiveness in melanoma.”  Cancer Treat Res.  2015;164:31-49.
7. Gerami P, Cook RW, Wilkinson J, Russell MC, Dhillon N, Amaria RN, Gonzalez R, Lyle S, Johnson CE, Pelschlager KM, Jackson GL, Greisinger AJ, Maetzold D, Delman KA, Lawson DH, Stone JF.  “Development of a prognostic genetic signature to predict the metastatic risk associate with cutaneous melanoma.”  Clin Cancer Res. 2015 Jan 1;21(1):175-83. 
8. Russell MC.  “Complications following hepatectomy.”  Surg Onc Clinics of North America. 2015 Jan; 24(1):73-96.
9. Squires MH, Kooby DA, Poultsides G, Pawlik TM, Weber SM, Schmidt CR, Votanopoulos K, Fields RC, Ejaz A, Acher AW, Worhunsky DJ, Saunders N, Levine E, Jin LX, Cho CS, Bloomston M, Winslow ER, Russell MC, Cardona K, Staley CA, Maithel SK.  “Is it time to abandon the 5cm margin rule during resection of distal gastric adenocarcinoma? A multi-institution study of the U.S. Gastric Cancer Collaborative.”  Ann Surg Oncol. 2014 Oct 15. 
10. Squires MH, Lad NL, Fisher SB, Kooby DA, Weber SM, Brinkman AS, Scoggins CR, Egger ME, Cardona K, Cho CS, Martin RC, Russell MC, Winslow ER, Staley CA, Maithel SK. “The effect of preoperative renal insufficiency on postoperative outcomes following major hepatectomy: A multi-institutional analysis of 1170 patients.”  J Am Coll Surg. 2014 Nov;219(5):914-922.
11. Squires MH, Staley CA, Knechtle W, Winer JH, Russell MC, Perez S. Sweeney JF, Maithel SK, Staley CA 3rd.  “Association between hospital finances, payor mix and complications after hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy:  Deficiencies in the current healthcare reimbursement system and future implications.  Ann Surg Oncol. 2014 Sept 24.
12. Ruiz DR, Squires MH, Maithel SK, Sarmiento JM, Etra JW, Perez SD, Knechtle S, Cardona K, Russell MC, Staley CA, Sweeney JF, Kooby DA.  “Cost comparison analysis of open versus laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy.”  HPB. 2014 Jun 16.
13. Etra JE. Squires MH, Fisher SB, Rutz DR. Martin BM, Kooby DA, Cardona K, Staley CA, Maithel SK, Russell MC.  “Early identification of patients at increased risk for hepatic insufficiency, complications and mortality after major hepatectomy.  HPB. 2014 May 18.
14. Squires MH, Dann GC, Lad NL, Fisher SB, Martin BM, Kooby DA, Sarmiento JM, Russell MC, Cardona K, Staley CA, Maithel SK.  “Hypophosphatemia after major hepatectomy and the risk of post-operative hepatic insufficiency and mortality: an analysis of 719 patients.”  HPB. 2014 May 15.
15. Martin BM, Etra JW, Russell MC, Rizzo M, Kooby DA, Staley CA, Master VA, Delman KA.  “Oncologic outcomes of patients undergoing videoscopic inguinal lymphadenectomy for metastatic melanoma.” J Am Coll Surg.2014Apr;218(4):620-6.
16. Squires MH 3rd, Hanish SI, Fisher SB, Garrett C, Kooby DA, Sarmiento JM, Cardona K, Adams AB, Russell MC, Magliocca JF, Knechtle SJ, Staley CA 3rd, Maithel SK. “ Transplant versus resection for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma meeting Milan Criteria in the MELD exception era at a single institution in a UNOS region with short wait times.”  J Surg Oncol. 2013 Dec 17.
17. Squires MH 3rd, Mehta VV, Fisher SB, Lad NL, Kooby DA, Sarmiento JM, Cardona K, Russell MC, Staley CA 3rd, Maithel SK.  “Effect of preoperative renal insufficiency on postoperative outcomes after pancreatic resection: a single institution experience of 1,061 consecutive patients.”  J Am Coll Surg. 2014 Jan;218(1):92-101.
18. Fisher SB, Fisher KE, Squires MH 3rd, Patel SH, Kooby DA, El-Rayes BF, Cardona K, Russell MC, Staley CA 3rd, Farris AB 3rd, Maithel SK.  “HER2 in resected gastric cancer: Is there prognostic value?”  J Surg Oncol. 2014 Feb;109(2):61-6.
19. Ocuin LM, Bağci P, Fisher SB, Patel SH, Kooby DA, Sarmiento JM, Cardona K, Russell MC, Staley CA, Volkan Adsay N, Maithel SK.  “Discordance between conventional and detailed lymph node analysis in resected biliary carcinoma at or above the cystic duct: are we understaging patients?”  Ann Surg Oncol. 2013 Dec;20(13):4298-304.
20. Fisher SB, Kneuertz PJ, Dodson RM, Patel SH, Maithel SK, Sarmiento JM, Russell MC, Cardona K, Choti MA, Staley CA 3rd, Pawlik TM, Kooby DA.  “A comparison of right posterior sectorectomy with formal right hepatectomy: a dual-institution study.”  HPB (Oxford). 2013 Oct;15(10):753-62.
21. Lad NL, Squires MH, Maithel SK, Fisher SB, Mehta VV, Cardona K, Russell MC, Staley CA, Adsay NV, Kooby DA.  “Is it time to stop checking frozen section neck margins during pancreaticoduodenectomy?”  Ann Surg Oncol. 2013 Oct;20(11):3626-33.
22. Fisher SB, Kim SC, Kooby DA, Cardona K, Russell MC, Delman KA, Staley CA 3rd, Maithel SK.  “Gastrointestinal stromal tumors: a single institution experience of 176 surgical patients.”  Am Surg. 2013 Jul;79(7):657-65.
23. Russell MC.  Ilioinguinal-femoral lymphadenectomy. The SCORE Portal.
24. Russell MC.  Sentinel lymph node biopsy for melanoma.  The SCORE Portal. 
25. Russell MC, You YN, Hu CY, Cormier JN, Feig BW, Skibber JM, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Nelson H, Chang GJ.  “A novel risk-adjusted nomogram for rectal cancer surgery outcomes.”  JAMA Surg. 2013 Aug;148(8):769-77.
26. Russell MC, Chang GJ.  “Molecular profiling for Stage II colon cancer.”  Colorectal Cancer. 2013; 1(6):479-490.
27. Russell MC, Mansfield PF.  “Surgical approaches to gastric cancer.”  J Surg Oncol. 2013 Mar;107(3):250-258.
28. Badell IR, Russell MC, Cardona K, Shaffer VO, Turner AP, Avila JG, Cano JA, Leopardi FV, Song M, Strobert EA, Ford ML, Pearon TC, Kirk AD, Larsen CP. “CTLA4Ig prevents alloantibody formation following nonhuman primate islet transplantation using the CD40-specific antibody 3A8.”  Am J Transplant. 2012 Jul;12(7):1918-1923.
29. Page A, Srinivasan S, Singh K, Russell M, Hamby K, Deane T, Sen S, Stempora L, Leopardi F, Price AA, Strobert E, Reimann KA, Kirk AD, Larsen CP, Kean LS. “CD40 blockade combines with CTLA4Ig and Sirolimus to produce mixed chimerism in an MHC-defined Rhesus Macaque transplant model.”  Am J Transplant.2012 Jan; 12(1):115-125.
30. Badell IR, Thompson PW, Turner AP, Russell MC, Avila JG, Cano JA, Robertson JM, Leopardi FV, Strobert EA, Iwakoshi NN, Reimann KA, Ford ML, Kirk AD, Larsen CP.  “Nondepleting Anti-CD40-based therapy prolongs allograft survival in nonhuman primates.”  Am J Transplant. 2012 Jan; 12(1):126-135.
31. Thompson P, Cardona K, Russell M, Badell IR, Shaffer V, Korbutt G, Rayat GR, Cano J, Song M, Jiang W, Strobert E, Rajotte R, Pearson T, Kirk A, Larsen CP. “CD40-specific costimulation blockade enhances neonatal porcine islet survival in nonhuman primates.”  Am J Transplant. 2011 May; 11(5):947-57.
32. Schiffman SC, Chu CK, Park J, Russell M, Keilin S, Kooby DA, Scoggins CR, McMasters KM, Martin RC. “Is prior cholecystectomy associated with decreased survival in patients with resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma following pancreaticoduodenectomy.  Am J Surg 2011 Apr;201(4):519-24.
33. Badell IR, Russell MC, Thompson PW, Turner AP, Weaver TA, Robertson JM, Avila JG, Cano JA, Johnson BE, Song M, Leopardi FV, Swygert S, Strobert EA, Ford ML, Kirk AD, Larsen CP.  “LFA-1-specific therapy prolongs allograft survival in rhesus macaques”. J Clin Inves. 2010 Dec 1; 120(12):4520-4531.
34. Larsen CP, Page A, Linzie KH, Russell M, Deane T, Stempora L, Strobert E, Penedo MC, Ward T, Wiseman R, O’Connor D, Miller W, Sen S, Singh K, Kean LS.  “An MHC-defined primate model reveals significant rejection of bone marrow after mixed chimerism induction despite full MHC matching.”  Am J Transplant. 2010 Nov; 10(11):2396-2409.
35. Weaver TA, Charafeddine AH, Agarwal A, Turner AP, Russell M, Leopardi FV, Kampen RL, Stempora L, Song M, Larsen CP, Kirk AD.  “Alefacept promotes costimulation blockade based allograft survival in primates.”  Nature Medicine. 2009 Jul; 15(7):746-749.
36. Anderson A, Martens CL, Hendrix R, Stempora LL, Miller WP, Hamby K, Russell M, Strobert E, Blazar BR, Pearson TC, Larsen CP, Kean LS.  “Expanded nonhuman primate tregs exhibit a unique gene expression signature and potentially downregulate alloimmune responses.”  American Journal of Transplantation. 2008 Nov; 8(11):2252-2264.
37. Russell MC, Thourani VH, Miller, JI Jr.  “Nissen fundoplication combined with Ivor Lewis esophagogastrectomy.”  Annals Thoracic Surgery. 2007 Nov; 84(5):1780-1782.
38. O’Malley, PM, Russell, MC, Brewer, K, Campbell, J, Morris, T, Graham, R.  “Get PHED Up!! Preventive Healthcare in the Emergency Department:  An Analysis of a Student Initiative to Provide Preventive Healthcare Information to Emergency Department Patients.”  NC Medical Journal. 2003 Jul-Aug; 64(4):157-160. 
39. Russell, MC.  “Withholding or Withdrawing Life Support:  When Patients and Physicians Collide.” Current Surgery. 2001 Jul-Aug; 58(4):405-407.
40. Shin, OH, Mar MH, Albright CD, Citarella MT, daCosta KA, Zeisel SH.  “Methyl group donors cannot prevent apoptotic death of rat hepatocytes induced by choline deficiency.”  Journal of Cellular Biochemistry. 1997 Feb;64(2):196–208.