Faculty Biography

John B. Holcomb, MD, FACS

Jack H. Mayfield, M.D. Chair in Surgery
Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Surgery
Chief of the Division of Acute Care Surgery
Director, Center for Translational Injury Research

Curriculm Vitae

Dr. Holcomb received his B.S. in Biology cum laude with honors from Centenary College in 1981, after being named Analytical Chemist of the Year in 1980, and his M.D. from the University of Arkansas Medical School in 1985.
Dr. Holcomb entered the U.S. Army in 1985, where he completed his general surgery internship in 1986 at the William Beaumont Army Medical Center. He served as Commander and General Medical Officer of the U.S. Army Health Clinic in Sinop, Turkey, followed by completion of his general surgery residency at the William Beaumont Army Medical Center in 1991.
From 1991 to 1994, Dr. Holcomb served as Staff General Surgeon at the Womack Army Medical Center in Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, and from 1994 to 1997, as the Surgery Attending Physician of General Surgery at the William Beaumont Army Medical Center, where he established a productive surgical research program. In 1997, Dr. Holcomb became the Chief of the Military Trauma Research Branch of the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research and Surgical Faculty at the Brooke Army Medical Center, where he established a new Hemostasis research program, spearheading the development of a 5-year research funding stream totaling over 5 million dollars.
In 1999, Dr. Holcomb joined the surgical faculty of the Ben Taub General Hospital in the Texas Medical Center, Houston, Texas, and became the Director of the Joint Trauma Training Center. In 2001, he joined the University of Texas at Houston as a Surgical Critical Care Fellow and served as the Trauma Advisor to the USSOCOM. From 2002 to 2008, Dr. Holcomb served as both Commander of the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research and Trauma Consultant for the Army Surgeon General, where he led the only Surgical Research Laboratory in the Department of Defense. He was awarded the Honorary Medal for Combat Surgical Care in 2004 and the Department of the Army Research and Development Achievement Award for Leadership Excellence in 2005.

In 2008, Dr. Holcomb joined the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston as Professor of Surgery and Head of the Division of Acute Care Surgery. He also became the Director of the Center for Translational Injury Research, a university-wide center focused on translating preclinical research to the clinical arena. In 2008, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Trauma Resuscitation Science from the American Heart Association, the United States Special Operations Command Medal, and the Service award from the American College of Surgery, Committee on Trauma for outstanding scientific contributions to the surgery of trauma and dedication to the care of wounded warriors. In 2009, he was named the University of Texas Chancellor’s Health Fellow for Trauma and Injury.

Dr. Holcomb is involved in both patient care and clinical medicine, with interests in trauma, hemostasis, and coagulopathy. He is the Principal Investigator of several clinical trials that focus on trauma medicine and transfusion. He serves on multiple committees and editorial boards, and is the Chair of the Trauma and Injury Subcommittee of the Defense Health Board Committee.

 

Location & Contact

6431 Fannin Street
MSB 4.020
Houston, Texas 77030
Tel: 713-500-7200
Fax: 713-486-0971

Contact Information

• John B. Holcomb, MD, FACS

• Jack H. Mayfield, M.D. Chair in Surgery
  Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Surgery,
  Chief of the Division of Acute Care Surgery
  Director, Center for Translational Injury Research

• Department of Surgery

• The University of Texas Medical School at Houston
  6431 Fannin Street, MSB 4.170
  Houston, Texas 77030

• phone: (713) 500-7218
  fax: (713) 500-7213
  e-mail: John.Holcomb@uth.tmc.edu

Administrative Coordinator:
Serena Cooper