Background

Dr. Joseph Friedberg earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. He completed his general surgery residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and his cardiothoracic fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He also completed a research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Dr. Friedberg currently practices as a thoracic surgeon at the University of Maryland Medical Center, where he also serves as Director of the Pleural Mesothelioma Program. The center is affiliated with the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where he serves as Professor of Surgery.

Treating Mesothelioma

Dr. Friedberg chose to specialize in the surgical treatment of mesothelioma because of the devastating effects this rare and aggressive disease can have on an individual and their family. Mesothelioma often arises due to exposure to asbestos fibers that are inhaled while working with asbestos products over the long term. Dr. Friedberg has learned how patients with the disease who underwent lung-sparing surgery in combination with photodynamic therapy had far superior results over those who had one of their lungs removed.

Development of a Vaccine

Throughout his career, Dr. Friedberg has hoped to develop an advanced form of treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma. He believes a photodynamic-generated cancer vaccine could help patients beat the disease. He has led the charge in several cancer vaccine clinical trials, including studies on lung cancer, another asbestos-related malignancy.