James Clune

Dr. James Clune is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Yale School of Medicine and a member of the Yale Cancer Center. He specializes in plastic and reconstructive surgery for complex malignancies, focusing on melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, and sarcoma. His multidisciplinary collaborations include surgical oncology, orthopedic oncology, neurosurgery, and dermatology.

• Bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University (1999)
• MD from George Washington University School of Medicine (2008)
• Postdoctoral research in craniofacial reconstruction at Children's Hospital Boston/Harvard (2009)
• Plastic surgery residency at Yale (2015)
• Fellowship in upper extremity surgery at University of California/Shriners Hospital (2016)
• Additional training in brachial plexus reconstruction in Spain (2016)

His research integrates oncoplastic reconstruction and targeted muscle reinnervation to improve prosthetic functionality and quality of life for cancer patients. Recent work explores immunotherapy resistance in melanoma, global surgery education, and anatomical variations in extremity tumors.

Key trends in his 15 most recent publications (2025–2020) span melanoma immunology, reconstructive surgical outcomes, global surgery training, and peripheral nerve anatomy. These studies appear in journals like Surgical Oncology Insight, Journal of Surgical Education, and Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research.

Notable scientific awards include:

• Top Doctors for Reconstructive Oncology (Connecticut Magazine, 3 years)
• Yale Cancer Center Clinician of the Year (2024)
• Teaching Award in Plastic Surgery (2017–2018)

He leads the Multidisciplinary Care for Melanoma at Yale and has performed over 800 annual procedures. His clinical focus includes skin cancer, soft tissue tumors, and peripheral nerve reconstruction, with expertise in toe-to-finger transfers and brachial plexus surgery.