John Stafford, MD, PhD, joined The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center on July 1, 2025, as the Director of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism. He brings a distinguished record of leadership, research, and clinical expertise in the fields of diabetes, obesity, and metabolism.
Before coming to Ohio State, Dr. Stafford was an Associate Professor of Medicine with tenure at Vanderbilt University, where he served as Chief of the Endocrine Section at the Tennessee Valley VA Healthcare System and Director of the Lipid Clinic. His work has focused on understanding how obesity and diabetes increase the risk of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease and atherosclerosis, advancing both clinical care and biomedical research.
Dr. Stafford has led nationally recognized educational programs, including the Vanderbilt Medical Student Research Training Program and the NIDDK Medical Student Research Program, training more than 1,200 medical students from over 100 U.S. medical schools. He is the principal investigator on multiple NIH-funded projects, including studies on sex-specific risks of metabolic and cardiovascular disease. His contributions have earned him prestigious honors such as the Oscar B. Crofford Award for Research in Endocrinology and the Early-Career Investigator Award for Excellence from the Kern Lipid Conference.
His vision for the division includes:
- Elevating national recognition for clinical excellence in obesity, diabetes, and endocrine care.
- Building a diverse workforce and developing future leaders in endocrinology.
- Driving innovation through collaborative research and education, with emphasis on cancer-prone diabetes subtypes, obesity, thyroid and adrenal cancer, and women’s health.
- Expanding community outreach and creating a Center of Excellence in Diabetes, while strengthening partnerships with The James and the Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Dr. Stafford earned his BA, MD, and PhD in Molecular Physiology and Biophysics from Vanderbilt University, where he also completed his internal medicine residency and clinical/research fellowship in diabetes, endocrinology, and metabolism.