CTCTS Fellow
Portrait of James D. Luketich

Cardiothoracic Surgery

James D. Luketich, MD, FACS

T32 Programme Director; Thoracic Surgeon · University of Pittsburgh Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery / UPMC

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States · Research & Academic

Official individually attributed portrait, visually inspected; aspect ratio retained without enlargement. Portrait source ↗

Fellowship roles and official sources

Faculty overview

About James D. Luketich

James D. Luketich is a thoracic surgeon at UPMC with interests in oesophageal disease, minimally invasive surgery and multidisciplinary treatment of thoracic malignancies. His official biography describes training at the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell and Memorial Sloan-Kettering, followed by his arrival at UPMC in 1995. The University of Pittsburgh’s cardiothoracic surgeon-scientist T32 listing names him as programme director. This leadership role does not guarantee that he personally supervises every fellow or establish a new funded vacancy.

Official faculty profile ↗

Additional biography sources (1)

At a glance

Institution
University of Pittsburgh Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery / UPMC
Department
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Location
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Clinical focus
Research & Academic
Listed fellowships
1

Listed only for programmes supported by the cited official source. This page does not infer operative volume, outcomes or eligibility.

Associated fellowships

Research & Academic Date not announced

Cardiothoracic Surgeon-Scientist Research Fellowship (T32)

University of Pittsburgh Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery / UPMC

Pittsburgh, United States · Minimum 2 years; possible additional year subject to availability

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

Deadline: No application deadline stated; published start was 1 July 2026

What the official sources state

Cardiothoracic Surgeon-Scientist Research Fellowship (T32)

University of Pittsburgh Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery / UPMC · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States · Postdoctoral Research Fellowship · Date not announced

A dedicated two-year cardiothoracic research programme for physicians with prior surgical training. Fellows develop an independent project within disease mechanisms, clinical/population studies or diagnostic/surgical innovation, supported by a mentoring team and formal research education. Citizenship restrictions apply; the listed July 2026 start does not establish a new vacancy.

Eligibility
Strong interest in an academic cardiothoracic surgeon-scientist career and at least two years of dedicated research.
Deadline
No application deadline stated; published start was 1 July 2026
Required prior training
MD, MD/PhD, DO or MBBS and at least two postgraduate clinical years in cardiothoracic, general or vascular surgery by appointment.
International applicants
Citizenship restricted: detailed criteria permit US citizens, US non-citizen nationals and lawful permanent residents. This is not an unrestricted visa-sponsored international route.
Funding
NHLBI T32 support; stipend related to time since the doctorate, with education/project support. No numeric individual stipend or guaranteed optional degree funding is specified.
Application documents
Initial letter of interest; request the complete current application requirements from the programme.
Official contact
Julie Phillippi, Co-Program Director: phillippija@upmc.edu.

How to apply: Email a letter of interest to Julie Phillippi at phillippija@upmc.edu; confirm citizenship eligibility, available appointments, full document list and start date.

Official source ↗ · Last verified 4 Nov 2026 · Full programme profile →

Related faculty

Faculty at University of Pittsburgh Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery / UPMC

  • Omar Awais, DO — Program Director, Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery Fellowship, University of Pittsburgh Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery / UPMC
  • Derek R. Serna-Gallegos, MD — Program Director, Advanced Aortic and Endovascular Surgery Fellowship, University of Pittsburgh Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery / UPMC
  • Norihisa Shigemura, MD, PhD — Program Director, Lung Transplant Fellowship; Surgical Director of Lung Transplantation, University of Pittsburgh Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery / UPMC
  • David J. Kaczorowski, MD — Program Director, Heart Transplant Fellowship; Co-Chief, Cardiothoracic Transplantation, University of Pittsburgh Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery / UPMC
  • Julie Phillippi, PhD — Associate Professor; T32 Co-director and Research Principal Investigator, University of Pittsburgh Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery / UPMC

All faculty at University of Pittsburgh Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery / UPMC →

Faculty with a similar clinical focus

  • Francis D. Pagani, MD, PhD — Quality and Outcomes Fellowship Team Lead, EACTS Francis Fontan Fund
  • James Gammie, MD — Cardiac Surgery Research Fellowship Faculty, Johns Hopkins Medicine
  • R. Kirk Riemer, PhD — Research Lab Director and fellowship enquiry contact, Stanford Medicine / Stanford Children's Health