Dr. James Yoo

As Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School, Dr. James Yoo anchors the colorectal oncology surgical program at Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center. His clinic is built on the principle that a colon or rectal tumour never exists in isolation. Medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, genetic counselors, pathologists, ostomy nurses, dietitians, and supportive-care specialists assemble each week to examine imaging and molecular findings together, ensuring the operative plan, systemic therapy, and survivorship roadmap are drafted at the same table. Before establishing this model in Boston he directed colon and rectal surgery divisions on both coasts, experience that sharpened his conviction that care must be collaborative yet seamless. Nurse navigators continue that philosophy between visits, booking scans, arranging home-visiting wound checks, and translating new data into plain language for families. Throughout planning Dr. Yoo returns to evidence, citing guideline statements and the newest trial updates so every choice feels deliberate rather than routine. Families frequently remark that he turns statistics into stories they understand, while colleagues note how the same conversation embeds surgical nuance and oncologic precision. (colorectal cancer surgeon Boston, colorectal oncology expert New England, minimally invasive colon surgery specialist, rectal cancer care Dana-Farber, gastrointestinal tumor board Boston) The integrated approach reassures patients that surgical strategy, adjuvant therapy, and lifelong surveillance are already synchronized before the first incision.

 

At the bench Dr. Yoo investigates how stromal cells cultivate colorectal tumours, focusing on angiogenin-driven communication between cancer cells and myofibroblasts. Within his laboratory at Brigham and Women’s Hospital he uses patient-derived organoids, explanted fibroblasts, and orthotopic mouse models to map the PLXNB2 receptor pathway and its influence on immune-suppressive cytokine release. Findings from these experiments informed an investigator-initiated study now evaluating a first-in-class stromal inhibitor alongside standard chemotherapy, illustrating his commitment to circular translation where bedside questions shape bench hypotheses and laboratory answers return quickly to patients. He collaborates with computational biologists who mine single-cell sequencing datasets, identifying fibroblast subpopulations that predict recurrence and guiding biomarker selection for upcoming trials. Peer-reviewed publications distil this work and have been cited in guideline discussions on targeting the tumour microenvironment. Recent discoveries showing that angiogenin modulation alters vascular density prompted partnerships with radiologists who use advanced perfusion imaging to monitor biological response without repeat biopsies. Dr. Yoo’s program is sustained by competitive grants that preserve the independence required for unbiased inquiry. (tumour microenvironment colorectal cancer, angiogenin PLXNB2 signalling, stromal targeted therapy trial, translational colorectal oncology research, bench to bedside colon cancer) The constant dialogue between microscope and clinic means patients receive care informed by science still being written in the room next door.

 

Innovation and education intertwine in Dr. Yoo’s operating room. As an early adopter of combined endoscopic and laparoscopic surgery he demonstrated that difficult colon polyps can often be removed through keyhole ports, preserving healthy bowel and expediting recovery. That experience, first publicised while he directed a large West Coast colorectal program, shapes his current minimally invasive repertoire, which now includes fluorescence perfusion assessment and totally intracorporeal anastomosis. He invites visiting surgeons to observe these techniques inside a live-stream-enabled hybrid theatre, converting routine cases into itinerant masterclasses. Within Harvard’s training programs he chairs curriculum initiatives that balance technical milestones with reflective practice, encouraging trainees to pair outcome metrics with patient narratives. Professional societies recognise this dual focus; he chairs an education committee within the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, oversees video-based peer-coaching platforms, and contributes to consensus statements on competency assessment. Beyond academia he partners with community advocates, delivering bilingual seminars that connect evidence-based screening messages with culturally resonant stories, thereby raising colonoscopy uptake in neighbourhoods historically left out of cancer prevention campaigns. (minimally invasive colon surgery Boston, combined endoscopic laparoscopic polyp removal, colorectal surgical education leader, community colorectal cancer screening outreach, patient-centred surgical innovation) Each layer of teaching and outreach circles back to the bedside, giving patients access to procedures refined in real-time collaboration and informed by feedback from the very communities they serve.