Vaughn Alden Starnes, MD

Dr. Starnes is a Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Dept. of Surgery. As the founding Executive Director of the USC Cardiac and Vascular Institute, Dr. Starnes has built an interdisciplinary powerhouse comprised of clinicians and basic scientists who are exploring better and more innovative ways of treating heart disease. Under his leadership, USC surgeons have conducted more than 15,000 open heart surgeries to repair and replace valves or create coronary artery bypasses.

Dr. Starnes earned his medical degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and did his general surgery training at Vanderbilt University, where he also completed two years of research in cardiothoracic physiology and pharmacology. He completed two years at Stanford University as a resident in cardiovascular surgery, and one year as chief resident in cardiac transplantation under the mentorship of cardiothoracic transplant pioneer Dr. Norman Shumway.

Dr. Starnes accepted a fellowship in pediatric cardiovascular surgery at the Hospital for Sick Children in London (Now the Great Ormond Street Hospital) in 1987. When he returned to Stanford, he was appointed director of Stanford’s heart-lung transplantation program. He joined USC in July 1992 and was appointed Chairman of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery in 1997 and Chairman of the Department of Surgery in 2008.

Dr. Starnes pioneered the living-related double lobar lung transplant in 1993. He and his surgical team also performed Southern California’s first robotic heart operation in 2001 as part of the clinical trial evaluating the use of a remote surgical system. He has an ongoing interest in congenital heart disease and in minimally invasive repair and replacement of the valves of the heart.

In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Starnes is a distinguished researcher. He is actively involved in exploring stem-cell therapy for heart failure and congenital heart defects and in clinical trials investigating new valve technology, including percutaneous heart valve replacement.

Dr. Starnes was honored to be chosen as the 100th president of the AATS for 2019-2020.

• Pasadena Magazine: Top Doctor, 2024
• Mitral Foundation and American Heart Association: Mitral Vale Repair Reference Center Award, 2023
• Pasadena Magazine: Top Doctor, 2023
• Indian Association of Cardiovascular- Thoracic Surgeons: Honorary Overseas Fellowship Award, 2022
• Pasadena Magazine: Top Doctor, 2022
• Pasadena Magazine: Top Doctor, 2021
• Pasadena Magazine: Top Doctor, 2020
• American Association for Thoracic Surgery: 100th President, 2019
   – 2020
• Pasadena Magazine: Top Doctor, 2019
• Pasadena Magazine: Top Doctor, 2018
• Pasadena Magazine: Top Doctor, 2017
• University of Southern California: National Academy of Inventors, 2017
• Pasadena Magazine: Top Doctor, 2016
• Pasadena Magazine: Top Doctor, 2015
• U.S. News and World Report: Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Cardiac Program, #3, 2015
• Pasadena Magazine: Top Doctor, 2014
• University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC: Distinguished Medical Alumnus Award, 2013
• University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill: Distinguished Medical Alumnus Award, 2013
• Castle Connolly Medical Ltd: List of America’s Top Doctors, 2011
• Pasadena Magazine: Top Doctor, 2011
• USC: Presidential Medallion, 2008
• Castle Connolly Medical Ltd: America’s Top Doctors – New York, 2004

• University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill — BA — 06/1973
• University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill — MD — 06/1977
• Vanderbilt University, Nashville — 1978 — Surgery Internship
• Vanderbilt University, Nashville — 1981 — Pharmacology and Surgery Fellowship
• Vanderbilt University, Nashville — 1984 — Surgery Residency
• Stanford University, Stanford — 1986 — Cardiovascular Surgery Residency
• Stanford University, Stanford — 1987 — Cardiac Transplantation Residency
• Hospital for Sick Children (Great Ormond Street Hospital), London — 1987 — Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Fellowship

• CTSN
  NIH · UM1HL117924 · Jul 15, 2013 – Feb 28, 2026 · Role: Principal Investigator

• Congenital heart disease
• Minimally invasive repair and replacement of valves of the heart
• Stem-cell therapy for congenital heart defects
• New valve technology
• Percutaneous heart valve replacement
• Adult Cardiac Surgery
• Mitral Valve Repair
• The Ross Procedure
• Pediatric Cardiac Surgey
• Adult and Pediatric Heart and Lung Transplantation
• Living Donor Lobar Lung Transplantation
• Aortic Aneurysm Repair
• Tissue Engineering

• Answering Questions that Start in the Operating Room: The USC Department of Surgery has entered into a first-of-its-kind partnership with SC CTSI in a mission to become a national force in surgical research.
• USC heart surgeons Vaughn Starnes and his colleague Craig Baker perform a coronary artery bypass and mitral valve repair at USC University Hospital.

• Demetriades, Demetrios
• Cleveland, John
• Wells, Winfield
• Berman, Darren
• Kim, Anthony
• Wiggins, Luke