The Sealy and Smith Laboratory for Surgical Training, Assessment, and Research began in 2006 as a vision of Dr. Courtney M. Townsend, Jr, MD. Dr. Townsend earned the support of leaders in our Academic Enterprise and Health System to establish the
infrastructure for LSTAR.
A historical timeline of LSTAR:
2010 - Kristen Kahrig, BS began as the LSTAR Administrative Coordinator
2011 - Kimberly Brown, MD, trained in Minimally Invasive Liver and Pancreas Surgery, became initial Surgical Director of LSTAR
2013 - Shannon Delao, a licensed Surgical Technologist with experience in all surgical specialties, recruited as LSTAR Coordinator
2013 - Earned initial national accreditation as an American College of Surgeons Comprehensive Accredited
Education Institute (ACS-AEI)
2015 - Clifford Snyder, PA-C, a surgically-trained PA with experience in neurosurgery and acute trauma care recruited as Education Director of LSTAR
2016 - Earned re-accreditation
as an ACS-AEI
2017 - Alexander Perez, MD, James E. Thompson, MD Family Distinguished Professor in Surgical Simulation and Chief of the Division of Minimally Invasive and Foregut Surgery, named as Surgical Director of LSTAR
2019 - ACS AEI Fellowship Accredited and first fellow joined LSTAR
Dr. Douglas S. Tyler, MD, Chair of the UTMB Department of Surgery has maintained the Department of Surgery’s commitment to support LSTAR as an educational home for practicing surgeons, trainees, and healthcare teams.