Johannes Kratz Named Van Auken Endowed Chair in Thoracic Oncology

Johannes R. Kratz, M.D. has been named the new Van Auken Endowed Chair in Thoracic Oncology. Kratz is an assistant professor in the Division of Adult Cardiothoracic Surgery, a member of the Thoracic Oncology Program, and director of Advanced Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery. 

The Van Auken Endowed Chair supports research, teaching and service in the field of thoracic oncology. Kratz has excelled in all three areas.

As a research fellow at UCSF, he was instrumental in the development of a prognostic assay for early-stage lung cancer, working on a team led by David M. Jablons, M.D. and Michael Mann, M.D. The assay is now in widespread clinical use and has helped oncologists make informed determinations on whether to offer their patients adjuvant therapy for lung cancer.

Kratz has also played a pivotal role in helping the Department of Surgery forge a path into thoracic robotic surgery, and has worked closely with residents such as Courtney Green, MD to ensure general surgery residents recieve the requisite training in the technology. Kratz was also the recipient of the Exceptional Physician Award from UCSF Health in 2017.