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Gary L Francis MD, PhD

Contact

210-567-5283

francisg@uthscsa.edu

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Departments & Divisions

Gary L. Francis, MD, Ph.D

Professor of Pediatrics

Research activities focus on thyroid neoplasia and thyroid cancer in children. Has previously served on the American Thyroid Association Treatment Guidelines Committee for Medullary Thyroid Cancer. Dr. Francis recently led a task force commissioned by the American Thyroid Association (ATA) to develop a set of guidelines for evaluating and treating children with thyroid nodules and cancer. The recently issued guidelines are the first and only set of recommendations that provide best practice standards for diagnosing and treating thyroid cancer in children ages 18 and younger. He also serves as Chair of the Data Safety Monitoring Board for closed-loop insulin trials at the University of Virginia Center for Diabetes Technology.

  • Professional Background

    Education

    • 1975 - PhD - Biochemistry - University of Florida. Gainesville, Florida
    • 1974 - MD - with Honors - University of Florida, College of Medicine. Gainesville, Florida
    • 1970 - BS - Interdisciplinary Major - University of Florida. Gainesville, Florida.

    Training

    • 1979 - Fellowship - Pediatric Endocrinology, Genetics and Metabolism - University of Oklahoma - Oklahoma Children's Memorial Hospital. Oklahoma City, OK
    • 1977 - Residency - Pediatrics - University of Florida, College of Medicine
    • 1976 - Internship - Pediatrics - Yale New Haven Hospital, Yale University.

  • Service

    Institutional

    Contrasts Between Treatment Guidelines for Children and Adults with Thyroid Cancer, Thyroid Nodules and Cancers in Children, Endocrine Grand Rounds, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX January 26, 2017.

    Thyroid Nodules and Cancers in Children, Pediatric Grand Rounds, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX January 13, 2017.

    National

    Endocrine Cases for Review. American Academy of Pediatrics, Philadelphia, PA, August 31-September 3, 2017.

    Short Stature. American Academy of Pediatrics, Philadelphia, PA, September 1, 2017.

    Type 2 Diabetes in Children and Youth. American Academy of Pediatrics, Philadelphia, PA, September 2, 2017.

    Puberty: When is it Too Early or Too Late. American Academy of Pediatrics, Philadelphia, PA, August 31, 2017.

    Global

    Hypothyroidism in Children, Internet Seminar, Coordinator: Hemraj B. Chandalia M.D., FACP, Director for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Jaslok Hospital and Research Center, Mumbai, India. May 25, 2016.

    Update on Thyroid Cancer in Children, Quebec Endocrine Society, Montreal, CA, May 14, 2016.

  • Publications

      Catherine Kerr MD, Gary Francis MD Ph.D, Thyroid Nodules in Children and Adolescents. Journal of Radiology and Imaging Science. J Radiol & Imaging Sci. 2020;1(1):1-5.

      Allen N; Desai N; Song C; Yu J; Prasad U; Francis GL.  Clinical features may help to identify children and adolescents with greatest risk for thyroid nodules.  J Endocrinol Invest 2020 Jul; 43(7):925-934. Doi: 10.1007 s40618-019-01176.6 Epub 2020 Jan 11.  PMID: 31927747.

      Clinical Features that Predict Presence of Thyroid Nodule in Children and Adolescents. J Endocrinol Invest. 2020. Jan 11.doi:10.1007/s40618-019-01176-6.

      Bauer AJ, Waguespack S, Grover A and Francis G. Thyroid Neoplasia, Chapter 19. In Radovick and Misra Pediatric Endocrinology: A Practical Guide 3rd Ed. Springer Science. Submitted 2016.

      Waguespack S and Francis GL. Chapter 44: Radioactive Iodine Therapy of Thyroid Cancer in Children. Thyroid Cancer: A Clinical Guide, 3rd Edition, Ed. Leonard Wartofsky, M.D., and Douglas VanNostrand, M.D. 2015.

      Bauer AJ and Francis GL. Chapter 4: Molecular Aspects of Thyroid Cancer in Children. Thyroid Cancer: A Clinical Guide, 3rd Edition. Ed. Leonard Wartofsky, M.D., and Douglas VanNostrand, M.D., 2015.

      Niran R. Wjiesooriya1, M.D., Caroline Carrico2, Ph.D., Gary Francis1, M.D. Ph.D., Chris Gennings3, Ph.D., Edmond P. Wickham III1 2, M.D. MPH. Association between Urinary Phalate Levels and Body Mass Index Z-scores in US Children. Submitted to Obesity, May 2016.

      Andrew J Bauer and Gary L Francis. Management of Thyroid Nodules in Children. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2016 Aug;28(4):536-44 Apr 30. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 27139001.

  • Clinical

    Board Certifications

    • 2017 - Pediatric Endocrinology, American Board of Pediatrics, 1983, 2017.
    • 2013 - National Certification Board of Diabetes Educators
    • 1980 - Pediatrics, American Board of Pediatrics