Ajay Jain, MD
Surgical Oncologist
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About Ajay Jain
Ajay Jain, M.D. is the G. Rainey Williams Chair in Surgical Research, Professor and Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology in the Department of Surgery, and Core Medical Director for the Stephenson Cancer Center. He currently serves as the Oklahoma State Chair for the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.
His surgical oncology practice focuses primarily on malignant and benign diseases of the liver, pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts, stomach and intestinal tract. Dr. Jain also performs minimally invasive robotic surgeries.
Dr. Jain attended the University of Virginia School of Medicine, followed by a surgical residency and surgical oncology fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital. During his residency, he also spent 6 months training at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland. He also completed a three-year research fellowship in immunology and oncology at Johns Hopkins, where he studied novel therapeutic agents to help the immune system fight cancer. Some of these have been further evaluated in human clinical trials.
Following his fellowship, Dr. Jain served six years as an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, as well as chief of surgical oncology at the Baltimore VA Medical Center. In addition, he operated a laboratory that developed antibody-based immunotherapies for cancer, using funding from the American Cancer Society and the Veterans Administration.
Dr. Jain then went to State University of New York, Upstate Medical University, where he served as an associate professor of surgery and chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology. During his time at Upstate, he expanded access to cancer services in central New York. He was awarded the Upstate Foundation Award for Patient Care every year from 2015-2018, as well as the Upstate Patient Experience Award in 2018. He also received the Michael Ratner Faculty Teaching Award for three consecutive years.
Dr. Jain joined the OU College of Medicine and Stephenson Cancer Center in 2019. He is committed to providing comprehensive, multidisciplinary cancer care using the latest innovations in treatment, and his team places great importance on addressing the psychosocial, nutritional and emotional needs of patients. For patients who have exhausted standard treatment options, he provides access to cutting-edge clinical trials at the Stephenson Cancer Center. Dr. Jain also is dedicated to communicating and coordinating care with other physicians providing treatment in the community. Dr. Jain has particular clinical interest and expertise treating in cancers of the liver, pancreas, and bile ducts. He specializes in the treatment of complex cancers of the stomach and gastrointestinal tract, as well as abdominal sarcomas.
Read more about Dr. Jain's work in some recent news stories.
Affiliations
OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center,
OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center – Gastrointestinal Cancer Clinic,
Schusterman Center – Internal Medicine Clinic
Awards
Echol's Scholar
1994
Four Year Merit Scholarship, University of Virginia School of Medicine
1994
Distinguished Majors Program, Chemistry-graduated with Highest Distinction
1994
Phi Beta Kappa
1994
Baltimore Academy of Surgeons Research Award
2001
Veterans Administration Gold Pin Award for Patient Care
2008
Upstate Foundation Award for Patient Care
2015
Michael Ratner Faculty Teaching award, Upstate Surgical Residency
2015
Upstate Foundation Award for Patient Care
2015
Upstate Patient Experience Award (2015-2018)
Michael Ratner Faculty Teaching award, Upstate Surgical Residency
2016
University of Oklahoma Trauma Champion Award
2020
University of Oklahoma Russell Postier Award for Excellence in Resident Education
2020
University of Oklahoma College of Medicine 2019-2020 Outstanding Faculty Award
2020
Inducted as Associate Member of American College of Surgeons Academy Master Surgeon Educators
2021
Oklahoma State Chair for American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer
2021
Named Oklahoma Top Doc in Surgical Oncology, 405 magazine
2022
Inducted as Faculty Member, Alpha Omega Alpha Honors Society, University of Oklahoma
2022
Health Education
Medical School
Doctor of Medicine
University of Virginia School of Medicine Charlottesville, VA
Residency
General Surgery
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore, MD
Fellowship
Surgical Oncology
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore, MD
Research Fellowship - Immunology and Oncology
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore, MD
Medical Interests
Areas of Interest:
Malignant and benign diseases of the liver/pancreas/gallbladder/bile ducts Treatment for cancers of the stomach and intestinal tract Robotic surgery Abdominal and Retroperitoneal Sarcomas
Research Interests:
Active Clinical Trials Identify microRNAs in Cachexia in Pancreatic Carcinoma Start of Enrollment 12-07-2022 Role: Principal Investigator, Contact Status: Recruiting Link: https://clinicaltrials.gov/search?term=NCT05275075
High-dose Omeprazole in Patients With Pancreatic Cancer Start of Enrollment 7-09-2021 Role: Principal Investigator, Contact Status: Early Phase 1 Trial, Recruiting Link: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04930991?cond=pancreas%20cancer&term=omeprazole&rank=
Ongoing Research R01CA281098-01A1 Development of Contrast Agents to Facilitate Image-Guided Surgery Major Goals: Optimal resection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma is of vital importance to the improved care for patients. Our proposal will test the safety of a tumor targeted contrast agent, VD-ZW800C, with MSOT or NIR-fluorescent imaging to improve surgical resection. Role: Multi-PI, Ajay Jain with Dr. Lacey McNally. 09/01/2023 – 08/31/2028 Total Award Amount (including Indirect Costs): $3,518,741
Asssociation of Academic Surgery Basic Science Translational Research Award 7/1/2023-630/2024 Total Direct Dollars: $35,000 Novel Imaging Techniques in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer.
Dr. Jain serves as mentor to Dr. Isabel Dennahy (PGY3) who received this mentored research award to study novel fluorescence based imaging probes for pancreatic cancer.
Stephenson Cancer Center Cancer Therapeutics Program Pilot Grant Identification of MicroRNAs in Cachexia in African Americans with Pancreatic Carcinoma 7/1/2021-6/30/2022 Total Direct Dollars: $25,000 Role: PI