Miller is named division chief

Dr. Michael J. Miller, previously professor of surgery at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, in Houston, and a former resident in plastic surgery at Ohio State, began an appointment Feb. 1 as professor of surgery and chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery at Ohio State University Medical Center.

“We are very pleased that we have been able to attract Dr. Miller to return to OSU. He clearly was our first choice for the position,” says Dr. Robert L. Ruberg, professor of surgery and senior vice chairman for academic and administrative affairs in the Department of Surgery. “Mike has an outstanding reputation as an innovative microsurgeon, and he will bring much-needed skill and experience in breast and extremity reconstruction to OSU and the James. He has a vision for the future which should allow us to achieve national prominence in both the clinical and research aspects of our specialty.”

A board-certified plastic surgeon, Miller is an active clinician, educator, and researcher. His principal clinical interest is reconstructive microsurgery, a method of transferring tissues from one part of the body to another. Used in a variety of clinical situations, the technique is most commonly employed in the treatment of cancer- and trauma-related deformities.

Miller has two main research interests. The first is advanced technology applications in clinical surgery, specifically, computer simulation of tissues. “The specific project that we’re working on involves creating a simulator of the breast, which can be used for surgical planning, outcomes prediction, patient education, and as a decision-making aid,” he says.

His second research interest is tissue engineering. “The future of reconstructive surgery lies in these two areas, I believe. Tissue engineering in the clinic will depend upon computer simulation in order to plan the tissue engineering and reconstruction and tailor it to the patient.”

Miller says, “I’m enthusiastic about the atmosphere at Ohio State University Medical Center. There is a firm commitment to being a leading institution in the country. I’m excited to be part of that.

“I would like to see the Division of Plastic Surgery be a leading division in the country, to be performing surgery that is cutting edge in each of the areas of plastic surgery. I would like the training program to be highly sought after and recognized as a program that competes with the finest programs in the country. I would like to have an active research program in regenerative medicine and advanced technology applications in surgery. I would like to have a service that’s recognized internationally for specific areas, such as cancer reconstruction.”

Miller received his undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of Massachusetts, in Amherst, Mass.

He completed his residency in general surgery at Berkshire Medical Center, in Pittsfield, Mass. From 1987 to 1989, he was a resident in plastic surgery at Ohio State’s Medical Center. He then completed a fellowship in reconstructive microsurgery at Tulane University, in New Orleans.

Following his training, in 1990, Miller joined the faculty at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Medical Center, where he served as medical director of microvascular surgery and deputy chairman of the department of plastic surgery. During his 16-and-a-half years at M. D. Anderson, the plastic surgery service:

• Grew from just two surgeons to a total of 14
• Developed a research program in computer simulation and tissue engineering
• Created a training program for microsurgery fellows
• Gained full departmental status
  

Miller also held adjunct faculty appointments at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston; at Rice University, in Houston; at the Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston; and at the University of Texas at Austin.

He has received numerous honors and awards. Miller was named Houston’s top doctor by Inside Houston Magazine, and he has been listed repeatedly by Best Doctors in America and America’s Top Physicians. He has served as a consultant to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, private industry, and professional organizations.

Miller is the author of numerous scholarly publications, including 95 articles in peer-reviewed journals.