
Jennifer S. Lawton, MD
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Highlights
Johns Hopkins Affiliations:
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Faculty
About Jennifer S. Lawton
Professional Titles
- Richard Bennett Darnall Professor of Cardiac Surgery
- Chief, Division of Cardiac Surgery
- Director, Cardiac Surgery Research Laboratory
Primary Academic Title
Professor of Cardiac Surgery
Background
Jennifer S. Lawton, M.D., is the Richard Bennett Darnall Professor of Surgery and chief of the Johns Hopkins Division of Cardiac Surgery, as well as director of the Cardiac Surgery Research Laboratory.
Dr. Lawton’s clinical area of focus is adult cardiac surgery. She also leads the division’s residency education program, and conduct research in myocyte volume regulation and ATP-sensitive K channels.
She has held important leadership roles in several organizations, including chair of the surgery study section of the American Heart Association, vice-chair of the ACGME residency review committee, and president of the Women in Thoracic Surgery. Lawton’s achievements also include 81 peer-review publications, 7 book chapters, and 18 abstracts. She has delivered over 50 invited lectures.
Research Interests
ATP-Sensitive Potassium Channels, Myocardial Protection, Myocyte Volume Regulation
Lab Website
Cardiac Surgery Research Lab - Lab Website
- Founded in 1942 by surgeon Alfred Blalock and surgical technician Vivien Thomas, the Cardiac Surgery Research Lab at The Johns Hopkins Hospital serves not only to spearhead discovery and innovation in cardiothoracic surgery, but also to train future leaders in the field. Active areas of investigation include the development of novel, nanoparticle-based therapeutics to mitigate acute lung injury, avoid neurological injury during cardiac surgery, and improve organ preservation during heart and lung transplantation. The lab is also active in a variety of clinical research projects aimed at improving outcomes for our patients. Equally important, the lab plays a critical role in training residents for impactful careers in academic cardiothoracic surgery. Medical students, residents, and fellows receive hands-on simulation experiences to hone surgical skills outside of the operating room. The lab also serves as a training ground to develop research and investigation skills as trainees learn methods of advanced statistical analysis and academic writing. Special programs for undergraduates and medical students help develop their passion for cardiac surgery and surgical research, giving unique opportunities to young talent.
Selected Publications
Lawton JS, Barner HB, Bailey MS, Moazami N, Pasque MK, Moon, MR, Damiano RJ, Jr. Radial Artery Grafts in Women: Utilization and Results. Ann Thorac Surg 2005; 80(2):559-63. PMID 16039204
Lawton JS, Liu J, Kulshrestha K, Moon MR, Damiano RJ, Maniar H, Pasque MK. The Impact of Surgical Strategy on Survival Following Repair of Type A Aortic Dissection. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2015; 150:294-301.PMID 26005060
Lawton JS, Moazami N, Pasque MK, Moon MR, Damiano RJ Jr. Early Stenosis of Medtronic Mosaic Porcine Valves in the Aortic Position. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2009; 137(6):1556-7. PMID: 19464483
Henn MC, Janjua MB, Zhang H, Kanter EM, Makepeace CM, Schuessler RB, Nichols CG, Lawton JS. Cardiac Expressed Gain – of – Function of ATP –Sensitive Potassium Channel Subunit Kir6.1 is Associated with Increased Tolerance to Myocyte Stress. Accepted J Surg Res August 2016.
Selected from 89 publications
Lawton JS, Brister SJ, Petro KR, Dullum M. Surgical Revascularization in Women: Unique Intraoperative Factors and Considerations. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2003; 126(4):936-8. PMID 14566226
Sellitto AD, Al-Dadah AS, Schuessler RB, Nichols CG, Lawton JS. An Open Sarcolemmal Adenosine Triphosphate-Sensitive Potassium Channel is Necessary for Detrimental Myocyte Swelling Secondary to Stress. Circulation 2011;124[suppl 1]:S70-S74. PMID: 21911821
Honors
- Fellow, American Heart Association
- Invited Attendee, American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) Leadership Academy for Division Chiefs/Potential Chiefs
- Invited Attendee, American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) Strategic Planning Retreat
- Named to Best Doctors in St. Louis, 2009 - 2015, St. Louis Magazine
- National Research Service Award, National Institutes of Health; 1994-1996
Memberships
- American Surgical Association
- Society of Clinical Surgery
- Fellow, American College of Surgeons
- American Association for Thoracic Surgery
- Cardiac Surgery Biology Club
- Society of Thoracic Surgeons
- Southern Thoracic Surgical Association
- Fellow, American Heart Association
- St. Louis Thoracic Surgery Society
- Association for Academic Surgery
- Women in Thoracic Surgery
- Association of Women Surgeons
- International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
- Associate Member, Washington University Center for the Investigation of Membrane Excitability Diseases (CIMED)
Locations
- Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center
- 601 North Caroline Street, Floor 7, Baltimore, MD 21287
- phone: 443-997-1799
- fax: 410-502-2399
Expertise
Education
Penn State Milton S Hershey Medical Center
Fellowship, Cardiothoracic Surgery, 2001Virginia Commonwealth University Health
Residency, General Surgery, 1999Drexel University College of Medicine
Medical Education, Medicine, MD, 1992Board Certifications
Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery
American Board of Thoracic Surgery, 2002Insurance
- Aetna
- CareFirst
- Cigna
- First Health
- Geisinger Health Plan
- HealthSmart/Accel
- Humana
- Johns Hopkins Health Plans
- MultiPlan
- Pennsylvania's Preferred Health Networks (PPHN)
- Point Comfort Underwriters
- Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
- UnitedHealthcare
- Veteran Affairs Community Care Network (Optum-VACCN)
Ratings & Reviews
5 out of 5
38 ratings, 17 reviewsThe Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to physician related questions on the national CG-CAHPS Medical Practice patient experience survey through Press Ganey. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best score. Comments are also gathered from our CG-CAHPS Medical Practice Survey through Press Ganey and displayed in their entirety. Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 1/31/2025
Dr Lawton is my saint.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 1/31/2025
Very professional but approachable.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 1/31/2025
Love Dr Lawton. Ery thorough and explained things very well
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 12/27/2024
Dr. Lawton and her entire team are the best. Attentive, responsive, understanding and as professional as it gets. A model for others.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 12/20/2024
She's awesome.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 11/22/2024
Dr Lawton is an excellent surgeon. Very knowledgeable and professional. I am very happy to have found her and be a patient of hrs.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 11/15/2024
Dr. Lawton and Assistant are very good, kind, concerned and very informative. They listen to me.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 9/3/2024
Dr. Jennifer Lawton and her team is the one of best in USA
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 7/30/2024
Dr. Lawton is an amazing individual and the most skillful surgeon! I am truly thankful to her for the successful result of my own heart surgery.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 7/30/2024
Best doctor every!
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 7/30/2024
Dr. Lawton provided excellent care and information regarding my CT scan for an [ ] aneurysm that's being monitored.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 7/2/2024
Dr. Lawton and her assistant were outstanding. I did not feel rushed and my questions were answered with respect and thoughtfulness. I feel confident in Dr. Lawson and appreciate her approach to patient interaction,
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 6/4/2024
Dr Lawton is an excellent DOCTOR
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 5/7/2024
Very easy to talk to about my health concerns, very through, very courteous, very professional
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 4/9/2024
She saves my life
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 4/9/2024
Awesome
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 4/9/2024
Exceptional clinician