Jason M. Gauthier, MD
Assistant Professor and Surgical Director, Lung Transplantation
Personal Statement:
Jason Gauthier, MD is a thoracic surgeon who specializes in surgery of the lung, airway, esophagus, stomach, chest wall and mediastinum. He has particular expertise in minimally invasive surgery, lung and esophageal cancer, benign esophageal disorders, and lung transplantation.
Dr. Gauthier obtained his medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine in his home state of Louisiana. He completed a combined general surgery residency and cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, where he was mentored by the nation’s leaders in thoracic surgery and lung transplantation. During his surgical training, Dr. Gauthier completed a NIH-funded research fellowship investigating pathways of rejection and tolerance following heart and lung transplantation. He also received advanced training in robotic surgery through The American Association for Thoracic Surgery’s Thoracic Surgical Robotics Fellowship. He is board-certified by the American Board of Surgery and American Board of Thoracic Surgery. His clinical appointments are at University Hospital, UT Health Multispecialty & Research Hospital, and MD Anderson Mays Cancer Center.
Dr. Gauthier values the patient-centered approach to medical care. His primary goal is to partner with each patient to achieve the ideal outcome, taking into consideration their desires and specific health needs. Often this is done in a multidisciplinary manner in collaboration with a team of specialists. Additionally, Dr. Gauthier performs minimally invasive techniques whenever possible, including robotic-assisted surgery, to provide a faster recovery, minimal scarring and shortened hospital stays.
Education
Undergraduate:
Louisiana State University, 2011
Medical School:
Tulane University School of Medicine, 2015
Residency:
General Surgery, Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University School of Medicine, 2022
Fellowships:
Transplantation Immunology (research), Washington University School of Medicine, 2019
Cardiothoracic Surgery, Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University School of Medicine, 2024
Research
Dr. Gauthier’s research focuses on lung transplantation, which has included investigations on clinical, translational and basic science fronts. His predominant interest is mechanisms of rejection and tolerance following transplantation. He is also interested in novel methods of lung donor evaluation and management on both a patient- and system-level. While at Washington University, he was the recipient of NIH T32 and F32 grants to study transplantation immunology following heart and lung transplantation.
Awards & Accomplishments
University Medal, Louisiana State University, 2011
Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, Tulane University School of Medicine, 2014
DeBakey Scholar, Tulane University School of Medicine, 2015
Resident of the Year, Distinguished Service Teaching Award, Washington University School of Medicine, 2017
1st place, 21st Annual C. Walton Lillehei Research Competition, The American Association for Thoracic Surgery, 2018
1st place, Samuel A. Wells, Jr. Research Competition, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, 2018
Outstanding Article Award, American Journal of Transplantation, 2021
Eugene M. Bricker Teaching Award, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, 2022
Thoracic Surgical Robotics Fellowship, The American Association for Thoracic Surgery, 2024
Publications
See all of Dr. Gauthier’s publications on PubMed
Selected Publications:
Bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue-resident Foxp3+ T lymphocytes prevent antibody-mediated lung rejection.
Li W, Gauthier JM, Higashikubo R, et al. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2019.
Chest CT imaging improves potential lung donor assessment.
Gauthier JM, Bierhals A, Liu J, et al. Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 2019.
Ferroptosis Initiates Inflammatory Responses to Myocardial Injury.
Li W, Feng G, Gauthier JM, et al. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2019.
Economic evaluation of the specialized donor care facility for thoracic organ donor management.
Gauthier JM, Doyle MBM, Chapman WC, et al. Journal of Thoracic Disease, 2020.
IL-22 is required for the induction of bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue in tolerant lung allografts.
Tanaka S, Gauthier JM, Fuchs A, et al. American Journal of Transplantation, 2020.