Craig Coopersmith, MD, FACS, FCCM

Role

Critical Care Medicine
Research Program

Cancer Immunology
Practicing Since

2000

Call 404-778-3712

Background

Dr. Coopersmith is an eminent academic surgeon in the area of surgical critical care. As interim director of the Emory Critical Care Center (he served as associate director of the ECCC from 2009-2018), he is integral to a service that aims to deliver the highest quality, value, and access to critical care for patients in the southeastern USA and leads the nation in designing, testing, and implementing innovations in critical care. Partnering throughout Emory's Woodruff Health Sciences Center, the center offers access to state-of-the-art care and experimental treatments. The Emory Critical Care Center also has a comprehensive training mission that includes educating fourth-year Emory medical students; interns and residents from internal medicine, general surgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, neurology, and neurosurgery; and advanced fellows who are studying to become intensive care physicians.

Dr. Coopersmith has established himself as one of the top investigators of sepsis and shock in the country. He served as president of the Society of Critical Care Medicine from 2015-2016, and is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, which requires its members to have an outstanding record of scholarly achievement in biomedical research. His current research activity includes an NIH T32 training grant and three NIH R01 grants, two of which are collaborative studies with Emory transplant immunologist Dr. Mandy Ford that are investigating aspects of the immunological host response in sepsis.

Titles & Roles

Professor, Department of Surgery

Emory University School of Medicine
Director

Emory Critical Care Center
Vice Chair of Research, Department of Surgery

Emory University School of Medicine
Program Director, Surgical Critical Care Fellowship, Department of Surgery

Emory University School of Medicine
Director, Surgical/Transplant Intensive Care Unit

Emory University School of Medicine

Education & Training

Education

Fellowship, Surgical Critical Care, 2000
Jewish Hospital of St. Louis
Residency, General Surgery, 1999
Jewish Hospital of St. Louis
Internship, General Surgery, 1992
Jewish Hospital of St. Louis
Medical Education, MD, 1991
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Board Certifications

Surgical Critical Care
American Board of Surgery, 2000
Surgery
American Board of Surgery, 2000

Professional Memberships

American Medical Association
American College of Surgeons, Fellow
American Surgical Association, Fellow
American Society for Clinical Investigation
Association for Academic Surgery
Shock Society
Society of Critical Care Medicine: Past President, Chair Surviving Sepsis Campaign Research Committee, Discovery Clinical Trials Network Overisght Committee, Discovery Clinical Trials Network Steering Committee, Representative to Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Quality and Safety Committee
Society of University Surgeons
Surgical Infection Society

Research

Grants

View Grants

Grant Number	Title
1R35GM148217-01	The Gut as a Target to Improve Outcomes in Sepsis
2R01AA027396-10	The Impact of Chronic Alcohol Abuse on the Pathophysiology of Sepsis
2T32GM095442-11	Critical Care Training Program
3R35GM148217-01S1	The Gut as a Target to Improve Outcomes in Sepsis
3R35GM148217-02S1	The Gut as a Target to Improve Outcomes in Sepsis
5R35GM148217-02	The Gut as a Target to Improve Outcomes in Sepsis
5R35GM148217-03	The Gut as a Target to Improve Outcomes in Sepsis
5T32GM095442-12	Critical Care Training Program
5T32GM095442-13	Critical Care Training Program
5T32GM095442-14	Critical Care Training Program

Publications

Title/Journal	Authors	Publication Date
A methodological systematic review of validation and performance of sepsis real-time prediction models. NPJ digital medicine	Z Wang, W Wang, C Sun, J Li, S Xie, J Xu, K Zou, Y Jin, S Yan, X Liao, Y Kang, CM Coopersmith, X Sun	04/07/2025
INTESTINAL EPITHELIAL-SPECIFIC OCCLUDIN DELETION WORSENS GUT PERMEABILITY AND SURVIVAL FOLLOWING SEPSIS. Shock (Augusta, Ga.)	T Yumoto, T Oami, Z Liang, EM Burd, ML Ford, JR Turner, CM Coopersmith	04/01/2025
Claudin-2 upregulation enhances intestinal permeability, immune activation, dysbiosis, and mortality in sepsis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America	T Oami, S Abtahi, T Shimazui, CW Chen, YY Sweat, Z Liang, EM Burd, AB Farris, JT Roland, S Tsukita, ML Ford, JR Turner, CM Coopersmith	03/05/2024
TiME OUT: Time-specific machine-learning evaluation to optimize ultramassive transfusion. The journal of trauma and acute care surgery	CH Meyer, J Nguyen, A ElHabr, N Venkatayogi, T Steed, J Gichoya, JD Sciarretta, J Sikora, C Dente, J Lyons, CM Coopersmith, C Nguyen, RN Smith	03/01/2024
CD8⁺ T cells are necessary for improved sepsis survival induced by CD28 agonism in immunologically experienced mice. Frontiers in immunology	JC Anyalebechi, Y Sun, C Davis, ME Wagener, Z Liang, EM Burd, CM Coopersmith, ML Ford	01/01/2024
CTLA-4 Checkpoint Inhibition Improves Sepsis Survival in Alcohol-Exposed Mice. ImmunoHorizons	CW Paterson, KT Fay, CW Chen, NJ Klingensmith, MB Gutierrez, Z Liang, CM Coopersmith, ML Ford	01/01/2024
OXIDATIVE study: A pilot prospective observational cohort study protocol examining the influence of peri-reperfusion hyperoxemia and immune dysregulation on early allograft dysfunction after orthotopic liver transplantation. PloS one	EA Wilson, A Woodbury, KM Williams, CM Coopersmith	01/01/2024
CHRONIC ETHANOL USE WORSENS GUT PERMEABILITY AND ALTERS TIGHT JUNCTION EXPRESSION IN A MURINE SEPSIS MODEL. Shock (Augusta, Ga.)	T Oami, T Yumoto, T Shimazui, S Sarmiento, NJ Klingensmith, CW Chen, S Otani, Z Liang, EM Burd, ZK Mahdi, ML Ford, CM Coopersmith	08/01/2023
Cancer and sepsis. Clinical science (London, England : 1979)	JC Williams, ML Ford, CM Coopersmith	06/14/2023
MYOSIN LIGHT CHAIN KINASE DELETION WORSENS LUNG PERMEABILITY AND INCREASES MORTALITY IN PNEUMONIA-INDUCED SEPSIS. Shock (Augusta, Ga.)	DB Chihade, P Smith, DA Swift, S Otani, W Zhang, CW Chen, LA Jeffers, Z Liang, T Shimazui, EM Burd, AB Farris, BS Staitieh, DM Guidot, ML Ford, M Koval, CM Coopersmith	04/01/2023
Impact of chronic alcohol exposure on conventional and regulatory murine T cell subsets. Frontiers in immunology	CW Paterson, MB Gutierrez, CM Coopersmith, ML Ford	01/01/2023
Junctional adhesion molecule-A deletion increases phagocytosis and improves survival in a murine model of sepsis. JCI insight	NJ Klingensmith, KT Fay, DA Swift, JM Bazzano, JD Lyons, CW Chen, M Meng, KM Ramonell, Z Liang, EM Burd, CA Parkos, ML Ford, CM Coopersmith	08/22/2022
The microbiome restrains melanoma bone growth by promoting intestinal NK and Th1 cell homing to bone. The Journal of clinical investigation	S Pal, DS Perrien, T Yumoto, R Faccio, A Stoica, J Adams, CM Coopersmith, RM Jones, MN Weitzmann, R Pacifici	06/15/2022
Membrane Permeant Inhibitor of Myosin Light Chain Kinase Worsens Survival in Murine Polymicrobial Sepsis. Shock (Augusta, Ga.)	Y Sun, T Oami, Z Liang, AA Miniet, EM Burd, ML Ford, CM Coopersmith	10/01/2021
TIGIT modulates sepsis-induced immune dysregulation in mice with preexisting malignancy. JCI insight	W Zhang, JC Anyalebechi, KM Ramonell, CW Chen, J Xie, Z Liang, DB Chihade, S Otani, CM Coopersmith, ML Ford	06/08/2021
Tumor-Specific T Cells Exacerbate Mortality and Immune Dysregulation during Sepsis. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)	CW Chen, KB Bennion, DA Swift, KN Morrow, W Zhang, T Oami, CM Coopersmith, ML Ford	05/15/2021
Anti-TIGIT differentially affects sepsis survival in immunologically experienced versus previously naive hosts. JCI insight	Y Sun, JC Anyalebechi, H Sun, T Yumoto, M Xue, D Liu, Z Liang, CM Coopersmith, ML Ford	03/08/2021
The IL-27 receptor regulates TIGIT on memory CD4⁺ T cells during sepsis. iScience	KN Morrow, Z Liang, M Xue, DB Chihade, Y Sun, CW Chen, CM Coopersmith, ML Ford	02/19/2021
Ovariectomy induces bone loss via microbial-dependent trafficking of intestinal TNF+ T cells and Th17 cells. The Journal of clinical investigation	M Yu, S Pal, CW Paterson, JY Li, AM Tyagi, J Adams, CM Coopersmith, MN Weitzmann, R Pacifici	02/15/2021
CD28 Agonism Improves Survival in Immunologically Experienced Septic Mice via IL-10 Released by Foxp3⁺ Regulatory T Cells. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)	Y Sun, J Xie, JC Anyalebechi, CW Chen, H Sun, M Xue, Z Liang, KN Morrow, CM Coopersmith, ML Ford	12/15/2020
ICU and Ventilator Mortality Among Critically Ill Adults With Coronavirus Disease 2019. Critical care medicine	SC Auld, M Caridi-Scheible, JM Blum, C Robichaux, C Kraft, JT Jacob, CS Jabaley, D Carpenter, R Kaplow, AC Hernandez-Romieu, MW Adelman, GS Martin, CM Coopersmith, DJ Murphy	09/01/2020
Breaking the bond between tetranectin and HMGB1 in sepsis. Science translational medicine	CW Paterson, ML Ford, CM Coopersmith	04/15/2020
Preexisting malignancy abrogates the beneficial effects of CXCR4 blockade during sepsis. Journal of leukocyte biology	W Zhang, DB Chihade, J Xie, CW Chen, KM Ramonell, Z Liang, CM Coopersmith, ML Ford	03/01/2020
Correction: Chronic Alcohol Ingestion Increases Mortality and Organ Injury in a Murine Model of Septic Peritonitis. PloS one	BP Yoseph, E Breed, CE Overgaard, CJ Ward, Z Liang, ME Wagener, DR Lexcen, ER Lusczek, GJ Beilman, EM Burd, AB Farris, DM Guidot, M Koval, ML Ford, CM Coopersmith	01/01/2020
2B4 but not PD-1 blockade improves mortality in septic animals with preexisting malignancy. JCI insight	CW Chen, M Xue, W Zhang, J Xie, CM Coopersmith, ML Ford	11/14/2019
Murine Pancreatic Cancer Alters T Cell Activation and Apoptosis and Worsens Survival After Cecal Ligation and Puncture. Shock (Augusta, Ga.)	JD Lyons, CW Chen, Z Liang, W Zhang, DB Chihade, EM Burd, AB Farris, ML Ford, CM Coopersmith	06/01/2019
Increased attrition of memory T cells during sepsis requires 2B4. JCI insight	J Xie, CW Chen, Y Sun, SJ Laurie, W Zhang, S Otani, GS Martin, CM Coopersmith, ML Ford	05/02/2019
The small heat shock protein HSPB1 protects mice from sepsis. Scientific reports	ER Breed, CA Hilliard, B Yoseph, R Mittal, Z Liang, CW Chen, EM Burd, LP Brewster, LM Hansen, RL Gleason, TK Pandita, ML Ford, CR Hunt, CM Coopersmith	08/21/2018
Honokiol Increases CD4+ T Cell Activation and Decreases TNF but Fails to Improve Survival Following Sepsis. Shock (Augusta, Ga.)	NJ Klingensmith, CW Chen, Z Liang, EM Burd, AB Farris, JL Arbiser, ML Ford, CM Coopersmith	08/01/2018
Pre-existing malignancy results in increased prevalence of distinct populations of CD4+ T cells during sepsis. PloS one	J Xie, JM Robertson, CW Chen, W Zhang, CM Coopersmith, ML Ford	01/01/2018

Awards

Caring Spirit Award, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, 2002
BJC HealthCare System Team Quality Improvement Award (Clinical Effectiveness of Phosphorus Repletion Guideline in the SICU), 2002
Presidential Citation, Society of Critical Care Medicine, 2002-2007
Research Citation Award (given to top 5 posters), Society of Critical Care Medicine, 2003
BJC HealthCare System Team Quality Improvement Award (Ventilator Associated Pneumonia Prevention Team), 2005
Teacher of the Year, Surgical and Burn/Trauma Intensive Care Unit, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2008
"Best Doctors," St. Louis Magazine, 2008, 2009
Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award, Washington University Postdoctoral Society, 2009
Best Doctors in America, 2009-2011
Fellow, Woodruff Leadership Academy, 2012
Celebration of Emory Faculty Excellence Recognition, 2014, 2016
Critical Care Teaching Award, Neuroscience Critical Care Fellows, Emory University, 2016
Distinguished Service Award, Society of Critical Care Medicine, 2017
Doctors' Day featured faculty (by Emory Medicine Recognitions Committee from more than 220 nominations), 2017
2018 Inductee, Emory MilliPub Club (recognizes current Emory faculty who have published one or more individual papers that have each garnered more than 1000 citations; such a paper is commonly considered a "citation classic" and represents high impact scholarship), paper: "The Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3)."

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