University of California San Francisco

Joseph Cuschieri-lg-headshot
Joseph
Cuschieri
MD, FACS

Professor of Surgery
Division of General Surgery
Trauma and Surgical Critical Care
Chief of Surgery, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital

UCSF Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion badge

Address

1001 Potrero Avenue, #3A25
San Francisco, CA 94110
United States

    Biography

    Joseph Cuschieri M.D. earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Biochemistry from the University of Michigan, and his Medical Degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine.  He completed his general surgery residence and surgical critical care fellowship at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan.  Upon completion of his clinical training, he completed a 2-year NIH T32 Fellowship in the field of Trauma/Burn/Inflammation.

    Dr. Cuschieri is certified by the American Board of Surgery in General Surgery with subspecialty certification in Surgical Critical Care.

    Upon completion of his fellowship in 2002, Dr. Cuschieri joined the faculty at the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine.  After a couple of years he left Cincinnati and returned to Seattle, joining the faculty at the University of Washington School of Medicine where he served as the Medical Director of Surgical Critical Care, Interim Associate Medical Director of Critical Care, Associate Medical Director of Surgical Services, and Program Director of Surgical Critical Care.  Dr. Cuschieri left Washington and came to UCSF in 2021 to join the faculty in the Department of Surgery as Professor and Trauma Medical Director at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.

    Dr. Cuschieri currently serves as Principal Investigator, Co-Principle investigator, or Co-Investigator on 3 federally funded grants and has authored or co-authored over 170 peer-reviewed articles and more than 10 book chapters.  His national service includes active participation in major trauma, critical care, and surgical societies including the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma and the Society of Surgical Critical Care Program Directors.  He also serves on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery.

    Education

    Institution Degree Dept or School End Date
    University of California Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training 09/2021
    University of Washington T32 Trauma/Burn/Inflammation 6/2002
    Henry Ford Hospital Medical Center General Surgery 6/2000
    Henry Ford Hospital Medical Center Surgical Critical Care 6/1998
    Wayne State University School of Medicine MD Medicine 6/1994
    University of Michigan BS Biochemistry 6/1990

    Awards & Honors

    Award Conferred By Date
    John K. Stevenson Faculty Teaching Award in Surgery University of Washington School of Medicine 2019
    CDC HA-VTE Prevention Challenge Champion Centers of Disease Control 2015
    Castle Connelly Top Doctors Castle Connelly Inc. 2006/2021
    Joseph Sussman Memorial Award Surgical Infection Society 2006

    Clinical Trials

    1. Related Conditions: Acute Kidney Injury| Start Date: | End Date:

    Grants and Funding

    • Surgery Research Training Program | NIH | 2017-07-01 - 2022-06-30 | Role: Co-Investigator
    • Validation of a Genomics Based Prognostic in Severe Trauma | NIH | 2013-06-01 - 2017-04-30 | Role: Co-Investigator
    • A Randomzied Phase II Trial of CMV Prevention in Acute Lung Injury | NIH | 2010-06-01 - 2016-12-31 | Role: Co-Investigator
    • POSTDOCTORAL TRAINING | NIH | 1975-07-01 - 2015-06-30 | Role: Co-Investigator
    • Bedside Genomics in Severe Trauma | NIH | 2012-09-25 - 2014-08-31 | Role: Co-Investigator
    • Planning a Multi-Center Trial of Interferon-gamma in Trauma Patients | NIH | 2012-09-01 - 2014-08-31 | Role: Co-Investigator
    • SIS multicenter study of duration of antibiotics for intraabdominal infection | NIH | 2007-09-11 - 2014-08-31 | Role: Co-Investigator
    • Inflammation and the Host Responses to Injury | NIH | 2000-09-01 - 2013-08-31 | Role: Co-Investigator
    • TRAUMA &SEPSIS INDUCED CHANGES IN IMMUNE CELL MEMBRANE RECEPTOR TRAFFICKING | NIH | 2007-09-01 - 2013-06-30 | Role: Principal Investigator
    • Hypertonic Modulation of Inflammation following Injury | NIH | 2007-06-11 - 2012-11-30 | Role: Co-Investigator

    Research Narrative

    Dr. Cuschieri is a clinical and translational researcher who has worked to decipher the effects of initial injury on subsequent alterations immune function, and development of evidence based practices to improve care of injured and septic patients.  His main research focus is in the fields of polytrauma, hemorrhagic shock and neurotrauma with a specific interest in long-term outcomes following injury. From a critical care perspective, his main focus has been on organ support in the critically ill and septic patient.

    Publications

    MOST RECENT PUBLICATIONS FROM A TOTAL OF 203
    1. Multicenter external validation of the Geriatric Trauma Outcome Score: A study by the Prognostic Assessment of Life and Limitations After Trauma in the Elderly (PALLIATE) consortium.
      Cook AC, Joseph B, Inaba K, Nakonezny PA, Bruns BR, Kerby JD, Brasel KJ, Wolf SE, Cuschieri J, Paulk ME, Rhodes RL, Brakenridge SC, Phelan HA| | PubMed
    2. Patients with Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infection Presenting with Sepsis Do Not Require Longer Duration of Antimicrobial Therapy.
      Rattan R, Allen CJ, Sawyer RG, Askari R, Banton KL, Claridge JA, Cocanour CS, Coimbra R, Cook CH, Cuschieri J, Dellinger EP, Duane TM, Evans HL, Lipsett PA, Mazuski JE, Miller PR, O'Neill PJ, Rotstein OD, Namias N| | PubMed
    3. The Role of Lipopolysaccharide Structure in Monocyte Activation and Cytokine Secretion.
      Plevin RE, Knoll M, McKay M, Arbabi S, Cuschieri J| | PubMed
    4. Pediatric solid organ injury operative interventions and outcomes at Harborview Medical Center, before and after introduction of a solid organ injury pathway for pediatrics.
      Dervan LA, King MA, Cuschieri J, Rivara FP, Weiss NS| | PubMed
    5. Prehospital Resuscitation of Traumatic Hemorrhagic Shock with Hypertonic Solutions Worsens Hypocoagulation and Hyperfibrinolysis.
      Delano MJ, Rizoli SB, Rhind SG, Cuschieri J, Junger W, Baker AJ, Dubick MA, Hoyt DB, Bulger EM| | PubMed
    6. Trial of short-course antimicrobial therapy for intraabdominal infection.
      Sawyer RG, Claridge JA, Nathens AB, Rotstein OD, Duane TM, Evans HL, Cook CH, O'Neill PJ, Mazuski JE, Askari R, Wilson MA, Napolitano LM, Namias N, Miller PR, Dellinger EP, Watson CM, Coimbra R, Dent DL, Lowry SF, Cocanour CS, West MA, Banton KL, Cheadle WG, Lipsett PA, Guidry CA, Popovsky K, STOP-IT Trial Investigators| | PubMed
    7. Pretrauma center red blood cell transfusion is associated with reduced mortality and coagulopathy in severely injured patients with blunt trauma.
      Brown JB, Cohen MJ, Minei JP, Maier RV, West MA, Billiar TR, Peitzman AB, Moore EE, Cuschieri J, Sperry JL, Inflammation and the Host Response to Injury Investigators| | PubMed
    8. Morbidity and survival probability in burn patients in modern burn care.
      Jeschke MG, Pinto R, Kraft R, Nathens AB, Finnerty CC, Gamelli RL, Gibran NS, Klein MB, Arnoldo BD, Tompkins RG, Herndon DN, Inflammation and the Host Response to Injury Collaborative Research Program| | PubMed
    9. Advanced age is associated with worsened outcomes and a unique genomic response in severely injured patients with hemorrhagic shock.
      Vanzant EL, Hilton RE, Lopez CM, Zhang J, Ungaro RF, Gentile LF, Szpila BE, Maier RV, Cuschieri J, Bihorac A, Leeuwenburgh C, Moore FA, Baker HV, Moldawer LL, Brakenridge SC, Efron PA, Inflammation and Host Response to Injury Investigators| | PubMed
    10. Evolving beyond the vicious triad: Differential mediation of traumatic coagulopathy by injury, shock, and resuscitation.
      Kutcher ME, Howard BM, Sperry JL, Hubbard AE, Decker AL, Cuschieri J, Minei JP, Moore EE, Brownstein BH, Maier RV, Cohen MJ| | PubMed