Brian G. Rubin, MD
#31: 2007-2008
Brian Rubin is Professor of Surgery and Radiology at Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Missouri, and Attending Surgeon at Barnes- Jewish Hospital.
Brian was born in New York City, and subsequently moved to Hastings-on-Hudson in Westchester, NY where he spent most of his childhood. The first of three children born to two parents with Ph.D.’s in the performing arts, Brian’s free time was spent enjoying trips to New York City, exploring the woodlands adjacent to his home, restoring antique automobiles, and working as a carpenter in Vermont. After attending Hackley School, he began his college career at Northwestern University before transferring to Colgate University in Hamilton, NY to attain his baccalaureate degree magna cum laude with Honors in Biology. Initially interested in a career in research, Brian worked in the laboratory of Dr. Marvin Gershengorn at New York University and participated in early work documenting that hormones can act by increasing intracellular free calcium levels by mobilization from intracellular membrane stores.
While attending medical school at the University of Vermont, Brian chose a career in surgery. He received multiple honors and awards including AOA membership, and headed to New Haven for his general surgery residency. At Yale-New Haven Hospital, Brian was exposed to surgeons who would prove influential in choosing vascular surgery as his specialty, including Richard Gusberg, young faculty members Richard Cambria and George “Mickey” Meier, and fellow resident Bauer Sumpio. Yale also proved the meeting ground for Brian and his wife Susan, whom he married at Yale’s Dwight Chapel in 1987. Two years later, they and their growing family moved to Saint Louis for a two year fellowship program at Washington University’s Barnes Hospital. The initial year was spent investigating basic mechanisms of platelet RGD-binding site receptors and their inhibition. The second year consisted of acting as the sole clinical fellow in a busy training program under the direction of Dr. Gregorio Sicard. After completion of his fellowship, he joined the faculty at Washington University School of Medicine, and continued his research interests in coagulation and vascular wall biology in collaboration with Dr. Paul Eisenberg. For this early work, Brian was the first recipient of the Lifeline Foundation Research Award. Rising to the rank of Professor of Surgery with a joint appointment in the department of Radiology, his passion however remained clinical care. With his recognition of the growing role endovascular therapy was soon to play, Brian embraced the development and advancement of endovascular therapy and was encouraged to rapidly incorporate these novel techniques into routine clinical practice. The addition of colleagues including Drs. Luis Sanchez and Juan Parodi further enhanced Brian’s experience in complex endovascular interventions.
Brian is a member of over 20 medical organizations, and has had the privilege to serve in leadership positions in local, regional and national vascular surgical societies. An active participant in leadership positions with the MVSS, he had the opportunity to work with Jon Matsumura to create an adjunctive endovascular course that preceded the annual meeting. A few years later, Brian assumed the role of endovascular course director, and nurtured its expansion and integration into the annual meeting. These responsibilities have overlapped his time as MVSS Councilor (1999-2002) and subsequently as its Treasurer (2003-2006).
Recognized as one of “America’s Top Surgeons,” Brian has participated in over 25 clinical trials including serving as principal investigator on several trials of endovascular devices. He is a member of over 20 different medical societies, and has written over 75 journal articles and 25 book chapters and has had the opportunity to train 32 fellows in vascular surgery. Brian and Susan have three children, Rachel, Brian Jr. and Julia. His hobbies include spending time in Vermont or the Cayman Islands with family and friends, skiing, scuba diving, reading, and cycling.
