Dr. Joseph Friedberg is a highly accomplished surgeon and researcher, currently serving as the Charles Reid Edwards Professor of Surgery and head of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania College of Engineering and Applied Science, an M.D. from Harvard Medical School, and completed post-doctoral fellowship, residencies, and a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at various prestigious institutions.

Prior to joining the University of Maryland, Dr. Friedberg was Chief of Thoracic Surgery, co-director of the Penn Mesothelioma and Pleural Disease Program, and an associate professor of thoracic surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. He has received recognition from Best Doctors of America for 2009-10 and 2011-12.

Dr. Friedberg's research is focused on developing new and effective therapies for various types of lung cancer, including mesothelioma. Specifically, he is developing a photodynamic therapy (PDT)-generated autologous tumor vaccine that could be used as a postoperative adjuvant or a primary treatment. He is also working on the development of a new type of cancer treatment called "photobrachytherapy" that utilizes a combination of radioisotopes, photosensitizers, rare earth nanophosphors, bioabsorbable plasmonic nanovesicles, and immunotherapy.

Clinically, Dr. Friedberg is exploring the development of a system for sealing pulmonary air leaks with an inhaled sealant, a new type of surgical drain, an improved method for airway intubation, and a device for minimally invasive control of major blood vessels.

Dr. Friedberg is a member of numerous prestigious medical societies, including the American Association of Thoracic Surgeons, the American College of Chest Physicians and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. He is based in Baltimore, MD and can be reached at jfriedberg@smail.umaryland.edu or by phone at 410-328-6366. His clinical interests include pleural mesothelioma, pleural malignancies and disorders, complex lung cancer, chest wall tumors, pulmonary metastasis, malignant pleural effusions, diaphragm disorders, and pneumothorax.