Joel D. Cooper is Chief of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania Health System. He received his undergraduate degree from Harvard College, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and his medical degree from Harvard Medical School, cum laude. After completing an internship and residency in surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, he served as Senior Registrar in Thoracic Surgery, Southwest Regional Hospital Board, Frenchay Hospital, Bristol, England and completed a fellowship in the Department of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, London, England. Returning to Massachusetts General Hospital, he served as Chief Resident in Surgery and was a Clinical and Research Fellow in Thoracic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital.

Dr. Cooper’s special interests include general thoracic, esophageal and tracheal surgery, adult lung transplantation, lung volume reduction surgery, lung cancer and swallowing disorders. He is widely recognized for his contributions in the field of tracheal surgery, esophageal surgery, pulmonary physiology, lung transplantation and surgery for emphysema. Dr. Cooper is past president of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, and the recipient of numerous honorary degrees.

Dr. Cooper currently serves as an active member of numerous professional societies, including the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation, The American Association for Thoracic Surgery, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, The American College of Surgeons, The American College of Chest Physicians, The American Surgical Association, The American Thoracic Society, The European Society of Thoracic Surgeons, The Royal College of Surgeons of England, and The Society of University Surgeons.

Dr. Cooper has served on the editorial boards of many scientific journals. He also is the author or coauthor of more than 400 original articles.