Leah Backhus

Leah Backhus is a Professor in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine. She serves as Chief of Thoracic Surgery at the VA Palo Alto and Co-Director of the Thoracic Surgery Clinical Research Program. Her clinical expertise spans thoracic oncology, minimally invasive surgical techniques, lung cancer, and mesothelioma, with specialized focus on hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy (HITHOC) and adult chest wall surgery (e.g., pectus excavatum).

• Education:
  • MD, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine (2000)
  • MPH, University of Washington, Health Services (2014)
  • BA, Stanford University, Human Biology

Her research integrates imaging surveillance post-lung cancer treatment, cancer survivorship, and medical simulation training, supported by VA Administration and NIH grants. Recent publications examine frailty metrics, robotic surgical education, community lung cancer screening awareness, and lymph node dissection complications.

Scientific Awards:

• Extraordinary Women in Cardiothoracic Surgery Award (2023)
• McGoon Award for Teaching (2019)
• Levi Watkins Innovation and Leadership Scholarship (2019)
• Faculty Member, Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society (2018-present)

As an educator, she is Associate Program Director for the Thoracic Track Residency and former Chair of the ACGME Residency Review Committee for Thoracic Surgery. She mentors postdoctoral researcher Amanda Immidisetti and contributes to surgical standards via the Thoracic Surgery Outcomes Research Network (ThORN) and Society of Thoracic Surgeons Board of Directors.