Howard University Names First Woman Chair of the Department of Surgery

Dr. Andrea A. HayesDr. Andrea A. Hayes has been named the first woman chair of the department of surgery at Howard University. She has also been appointed associate director of the Cancer Center.

“I look forward to leading Howard University department of surgery in the continued tradition of providing outstanding, innovative care for patients and leading the way to new discoveries,” Hayes said.

Before joining Howard, Hayes served as the surgeon-in-chief and division chief of pediatric surgery at the University of North Carolina Children’s Hospital. Her research is focused on refractory and resistant tumors in children, specifically soft tissue sarcomas.

Hayes is nationally recognized for her pioneering work with hyper-thermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for children (HIPEC). Thanks to her efforts, the survival rate of patients with desmoplastic small round cell tumor increased from 30% to 60%. For the past decade, Hayes served as one of only three surgeons on the executive committee of the Children’s Oncology Group.

Hayes will succeed Dr. Edward E. Cornwell III, who served as chair of the department of surgery since 2008.