Division of General Surgery Welcomes New Chief, Dr. Electron Kebebew

November 29, 2017

Dr. Electron Kebebew

The Stanford University Department of Surgery has announced that Dr. Electron Kebebew will be the next chief of general surgery effective March 1, 2018.

“I’m thrilled to have Dr. Kebebew join Stanford Surgery in this important leadership role as chief of general surgery,” said Department of Surgery Chair Dr. Mary Hawn.

Kebebew received his bachelor's degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, in chemical engineering. He completed his medical training, surgical residency and NCI T32 surgical oncology basic science fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Since 2012, he has served as inaugural chief of newly-established endocrine oncology branch at the National Cancer Institute.

“This is a great opportunity to be part of a dynamic surgical department,” said Kebebew. “I am excited to make Stanford’s division a world leader in general surgery subspecialty care and research that impacts patient care.

Kebebew has published more than 300 articles, chapters and textbooks and has received awards from the American Cancer Society, American Association for Cancer Research, American Thyroid Association, American Association of Endocrine Surgeons, and International Association of Endocrine Surgeons. His current research focuses on the genetic/genomic changes associated with endocrine cancers with the ultimate goal of identifying therapeutic targets and novel anticancer agents for endocrine cancers, and diagnostic and prognostic markers for endocrine tumors.

“Dr. Kebebew is an internationally-renowned endocrine surgeon whose research has changed the way we treat patients with endocrine cancers,” said Hawn. “He is the consummate surgeon, scientist and leader and will bring our program to new heights.”

Kebebew succeeds Dr. Jeffrey Norton, who has led the Division of General Surgery since 2006. Under his administration, the division has grown exponentially. Today the division boasts more than 35 faculty members and four formal clinical sections.

“I am so grateful to Dr. Norton for building such a strong foundation for general surgery and for continuing in his role as chief of surgical oncology,” said Hawn.

Norton joined Stanford’s Department of Surgery as chief of the surgical oncology section in 2003 and will continue his role after Kebebew has taken office.

“I plan to help recruit a new chief of breast surgery, create a fellowship in surgical oncology and spend more direct time working on a research program with Dr. Michael Longaker of plastic surgery investigating the stroma (milieu) of tumors as a means to develop new strategies for the treatment of cancer,” said Norton.

Norton says the most important job of the individual who is chief of general surgery is serving others in the division, being an advocate for faculty in all areas including patient care, research, and education—something he believes Kebebew will excel at.

“Dr. Kebebew is perfect fit for this position because of his prior experience as leader of a very successful branch at the [National Cancer Institute], his record of cutting-edge research in endocrine oncology and his plan for programmatic development in endocrine oncology in the Cancer Center here at Stanford,” said Norton. “He is an extremely bright, accomplished surgeon and a true leader in surgery.”