{"id":878,"date":"2020-04-17T13:47:30","date_gmt":"2020-04-17T17:47:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/?page_id=878"},"modified":"2025-12-23T13:18:05","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T18:18:05","slug":"dr-taylor-ripley","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/treatment\/doctors\/dr-taylor-ripley\/","title":{"rendered":"Dr. Taylor Ripley"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>About Dr. R. Taylor Ripley<\/h2>\n<p>Dr. R. Taylor Ripley&#8217;s work is primarily focused on thoracic oncology\u00a0\u2014\u00a0including <a href=\"\/mesothelioma\/\">mesothelioma<\/a> \u2014 minimally invasive surgical techniques, and research in cancer profiling and mesothelioma cell mutation.<\/p>\n<p>In 2018, Dr. R. Taylor Ripley was personally recruited by Dr. David Sugarbaker to take his place as director of the world-class Mesothelioma Treatment Center at <a href=\"\/cancer-centers\/baylor-lung-institute\/\">Baylor Lung Institute<\/a>. He is also an associate professor of surgery for Baylor College of Medicine\u2019s thoracic surgery division.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Ripley\u2019s priority is treating patients with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/mesothelioma\/pleural\/\">pleural mesothelioma<\/a>, although he also works with patients who have lung cancer, thymic cancer, esophageal cancer, and metastatic disease.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cHe never talked down to me. He explained things in plain English and prepared me for everything. I\u2019ve experienced a lot of doctors over the years \u2013 I\u2019ve seen all kinds of bedside manners, personalities and knowledge \u2013 but I\u2019ve never met another doctor like Dr. Ripley.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2013 Abigail Philips, one of Dr. Ripley&#8217;s pleural mesothelioma patients<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Alongside his work at Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Ripley continues his groundbreaking research that profiles mitochondrial pathways and protein signals as a method of assessing thoracic cancer outcomes. This research has displayed promising results and may lead to a significant breakthrough in diagnosing and treating thoracic cancers in the future.<\/p>\n<p>We can help you or a loved one connect with Dr. Ripley and other top specialists. Use our <strong>Free Doctor Match<\/strong> to get started.<\/p>\n<div id=\"25223\" class=\"one-off-25223 widget widget_oscar-vque one-off\" data-vqueid=\"25223\"><style type=\"text\/css\" data-style=\"one-off\">.one-off-25223{margin:60px auto}.one-off-25223 a{box-shadow:0 4px 4px 0 rgba(0,0,0,.25);display:block;background:#e4f4f6;padding:20px 25px 200px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;position:relative;overflow:hidden;max-width:360px;margin:0 auto}.one-off-25223 a::before{background:#0FAEBF;border-radius:50% 50% 0 0;content:'';position:absolute;bottom:0;height:19%;width:135%;left:-60px;z-index:0}.one-off-25223 .vque-content,.one-off-25223 .image-wrap{z-index:1;position:relative}.one-off-25223 .image-wrap{width:100%;position:absolute;left:-10px;bottom:-15px}.one-off-25223 .image-wrap img{position:absolute;bottom:0;width:100%;max-width:unset;left:0}.one-off-25223 .heading{font-size:27px;line-height:33px;text-align:center;display:block;max-width:340px;margin:5px auto 25px}.one-off-25223 ul{list-style:none;margin:-10px auto 22px;text-align:left;font-size:16px;line-height:26px}.one-off-25223 ul li{margin:0 0 15px;position:relative;padding-left:35px}.one-off-25223 ul li::before{font-family:\"mesohope\"!important;speak:none;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-transform:none;line-height:1;content:\"\\e904\";background:#0FAEBF;width:21px;height:21px;display:block;position:absolute;left:0;top:4px;border-radius:50%;color:#fff;font-size:11px;text-align:center;line-height:21px}.one-off-25223 p{text-align:center}.one-off-25223 .button{padding:12px 16px;display:block}@media screen and (min-width:768px){.one-off-25223 a{max-width:620px;padding:30px 30px 35px;border-radius:0 0 4px 4px}.one-off-25223 a::before{border-radius:50%;height:155%;width:150%;right:-550px;left:unset;bottom:-295px}.one-off-25223 .heading{text-align:left;margin:2px 0 25px;max-width:unset;font-size:24px}.one-off-25223 ul{margin:-7px 0 30px;max-width:365px;line-height:23px}.one-off-25223 ul li::before{top:1px}.one-off-25223 .image-wrap{max-width:unset;position:absolute;right:-25px;bottom:-35px;margin:0 0 -2px;left:unset;width:380px}.one-off-25223 .image-wrap img{position:relative;bottom:0;left:0;width:380px}.one-off-25223 .button{display:inline-block;padding:14px 25px}.one-off-25223 p{text-align:left}}@media screen and (min-width:1150px){.one-off-25223 a{padding:30px}}<\/style><a href=\"\/get-matched\/\" title=\"Get Matched With a Mesothelioma Doctor\" class=\"cte\" data-ce-category=\"In-Content Ads\" data-ce-label=\"Get Matched With a Mesothelioma Doctor Ad\"><div>\r\n    <div class=\"vque-content\">\r\n        <strong class=\"heading\">Get Matched With a Mesothelioma Doctor<\/strong>\r\n        <ul>\r\n            <li>Find top specialists near you<\/li>\r\n            <li>Seek compensation for travel & care<\/li>\r\n            <li>Get medical guidance<\/li>\r\n        <\/ul>\r\n        <p><strong class=\"button arrow\" title=\"Get Matched Now\">Get Matched Now<\/strong><\/p>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"image-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\"  src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Doctors-ad.png\" alt=\"Get Matched With a Mesothelioma Doctor\" class=\"lazyload\" ><\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/a><\/div>\n<h2 id=\"professional-background\">Dr. Taylor Ripley\u2019s Background<\/h2>\n<p>Dr. Taylor Ripley began his studies in biochemistry at Boston College before earning his medical degree from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He completed his general surgery residency at the University of Colorado, followed by a fellowship focusing on thoracic surgical oncology.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Ripley eventually became a thoracic surgeon and principal investigator for the <a href=\"\/cancer-centers\/national-cancer-institute\/\">National Cancer Institute (NCI)<\/a>, where he also served\u00a0as an associate professor of surgery for the Thoracic and Oncologic Surgery Branch.<\/p>\n<div class=\"callout-shortcode\"><style type=\"text\/css\">.callout-shortcode{background:#EDF8F9;border-radius:0 10px 10px 0;padding:20px 20px 20px 24px;margin:40px 0;max-width:860px;position:relative}.callout-shortcode:before{content:\" \";position:absolute;top:0;bottom:0;width:4px;height:100%;left:0;background:linear-gradient(180deg, #0FAEBF 0%, #EDF8F9 100%)}.callout-shortcode .callout-shortcode-heading{color:#100134;font-size:22px;display:block;margin:0 0 15px}.callout-shortcode:first-child{margin-top:0}.callout-shortcode:last-child{margin-bottom:0}.callout-shortcode .img-wrap{margin-bottom:20px}.callout-shortcode.hope>strong{padding-top:17px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:74px}.callout-shortcode.hope .img-wrap{left:22px;position:absolute;top:20px;width:59px}.callout-shortcode.hope .img-wrap:before{background:#fff url(\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/mh-icon-65.png);background-position:center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:70%;border-radius:30px;bottom:-10px;content:\"\";display:block;height:30px;position:absolute;right:-10px;width:30px}@media screen and (min-width: 768px){.callout-shortcode{padding:25px 25px 25px 34px}.callout-shortcode .callout-shortcode-heading{font-size:24px}.callout-shortcode .img-wrap{margin-bottom:0}.callout-shortcode.has-img{min-height:170px;padding-left:175px}.callout-shortcode.has-img .img-wrap{position:absolute;left:29px;top:25px;width:119px}.callout-shortcode.hope.has-img{padding-left:170px}.callout-shortcode.hope>strong{padding:0}.callout-shortcode.hope .img-wrap{width:109px}.callout-shortcode.hope .img-wrap:before{background-size:66%;bottom:-15px;height:42px;width:42px}}<\/style><div class=\"content\"><p>His research on esophageal adenocarcinoma discovered specific p53 mutations that could be recognized during treatment to determine the likelihood of a favorable outcome. This discovery won the NCI Director\u2019s Innovation Award in 2016.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Dr. Ripley also created and served on the NCI\u2019s multidisciplinary Foregut Team, which focuses on research and <a href=\"\/treatment\/clinical-trials\/\">clinical trials<\/a> for patients with tumors in the foregut (the section of the upper gastrointestinal tract that includes the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver and bile ducts).<\/p>\n<h3>Awards &amp; Honors<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Albert J. McGuinn Award: Bachelor of Science with Excellence in Humanities and Social Sciences<\/li>\n<li>Baylor College of Medicine Faculty Research Award<\/li>\n<li>Dan May Scholarship: Basic science research grant<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Dean&#8217;s Scholar<\/li>\n<li>NCI Director&#8217;s Innovation Award (2016, 2022)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Professional Affiliations<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">AATS Foundation (Surgical Investigator Program)<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">American Association of Thoracic Surgery (member)<\/li>\n<li>Association for Academic Surgeons (member)<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center (member)<\/li>\n<li>International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (member)<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (editorial board member)<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (Board of Directors)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"medical-specializations\">Dr. Taylor Ripley&#8217;s Medical Specializations<\/h2>\n<p>Dr. Ripley has several medical specializations, including thoracic surgery, minimally invasive robotic surgery, and cancer profiling.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;My hope is that with the combination of preoperative therapy, surgical resection, and adjuvant <a href=\"\/treatment\/immunotherapy\/\">immunotherapy<\/a>, we\u2019ll start seeing the longest survival we\u2019ve ever seen.&#8221;<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 Dr. Taylor Ripley, pleural mesothelioma specialist<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3>Thoracic Surgery<\/h3>\n<p>Dr. Ripley has over 15 years of experience working with mesothelioma patients and is board-certified in cardiothoracic surgery. Most of his career has focused on thoracic medicine, including mesothelioma, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, and thymic cancer.<\/p>\n<h3>Robotic and VATS Surgery<\/h3>\n<p>Dr. Ripley has also been drawn to robotic thoracic surgery and <a href=\"\/mesothelioma\/diagnosis\/biopsy\/thoracoscopy\/\">video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS)<\/a> and has ample experience with these minimally invasive surgical techniques.<\/p>\n<p>Robotic surgery is a minimally invasive surgery or a type of surgery that uses small cuts to operate. In robotic surgery, the surgeon operates by watching a high-definition screen and using controls to move a robot\u2019s arms.<\/p>\n<p>Because the incisions do not have to be as large for robotic surgery, a patient&#8217;s recovery time is shorter, and the scars will be smaller and less visible.<\/p>\n<p>VATS can be used during the initial <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/mesothelioma\/diagnosis\/\">diagnosis of mesothelioma<\/a> and other chest cancers and during numerous smaller surgical procedures.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cI utilize robotic surgery to minimize the size of surgical incisions whenever feasible.&#8221;<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 Dr. Taylor Ripley, pleural mesothelioma specialist<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>As one of the nation&#8217;s top <a href=\"\/treatment\/doctors\/\">mesothelioma doctors<\/a>, Dr. Ripley is at the forefront of medical innovation and will only recommend or perform as much as medically necessary to combat cancer.<\/p>\n<h3>Dynamic BH3 Cancer Profiling Research<\/h3>\n<p>Dr. Ripley is leading new research that helps diagnose and develop better <a href=\"\/treatment\/\">treatment plans<\/a> for patients with squamous cell carcinoma and esophageal adenocarcinoma.<\/p>\n<p>His research has made a significant discovery about mitochondria and the way they interact with cancer cells. This discovery helps predict how successful treatment may be.<\/p>\n<p>The standard treatment for esophageal cancer patients is neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, followed by surgery.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Ripley and his colleagues observed that mitochondria play an essential role in cell death (apoptosis) and developed a method of measuring proteins in mitochondria that indicate whether a cell is likely to die soon.<\/p>\n<p>This technique is called Bcl-2 homology domain 3 (BH3) and would be used after chemoradiotherapy but before surgery to determine whether a patient\u2019s tumor is likely to die.<\/p>\n<p>Download our <strong>Free Questions to Ask Your Doctor Checklist<\/strong> to get answers about your mesothelioma diagnosis and treatment plan from your specialist.<\/p>\n<div data-vqueid=\"18575\" class=\"widget widget_oscar-vque outline image-left has-img\"><style type=\"text\/css\" data-style=\"outline\">.widget_oscar-vque.outline{margin:60px auto;max-width:315px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline:first-child{margin-top:0}.widget_oscar-vque.outline:last-child{margin-bottom:0}.widget_oscar-vque.outline>a{border:1px solid #E6E7EC;padding:20px;box-shadow:0 20px 20px rgba(34,34,34,0.03);border-radius:10px;color:#383441;display:block;text-decoration:none}.widget_oscar-vque.outline img{margin:0 auto 20px;max-width:180px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline .vque-content{color:#383441;font-size:16px;text-align:center}.widget_oscar-vque.outline strong.subheading{color:#100134;display:block;line-height:1;font-size:14px;margin-bottom:5px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline strong.heading{color:#100134;font-size:20px;display:block;margin:0 0 20px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline ul{font-size:16px;text-align:left;list-style:none;max-width:265px;margin:15px auto 25px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline ul li{padding-left:28px;margin-bottom:10px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline ul li:last-child{margin-bottom:0}.widget_oscar-vque.outline ul li:before{font-family:\"mesohope\" !important;font-display:swap;speak:none;color:#fff;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-transform:none;line-height:1;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;-moz-osx-font-smoothing:grayscale;content:\"\\e904\";border:none;position:absolute;left:0;top:3px;background:#0FAEBF;width:20px;height:20px;border-radius:20px;line-height:20px;text-align:center;font-size:12px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline strong.button.arrow{width:100%}.widget_oscar-vque.outline.image-left>a{position:relative;border-radius:0 10px 10px 0}.widget_oscar-vque.outline.image-left>a:before{content:\" \";position:absolute;top:0;bottom:0;width:4px;height:100%;left:0;background:linear-gradient(180deg, #0FAEBF 0%, #fff 100%)}@media screen and (min-width: 768px){.widget_oscar-vque.outline{max-width:620px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline img{max-width:100%}.widget_oscar-vque.outline>a{padding:0}.widget_oscar-vque.outline>a>div{display:block;display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:flex-end;flex-direction:row-reverse}.widget_oscar-vque.outline>a>div>div{width:41%}.widget_oscar-vque.outline>a .vque-content{width:59%;padding:30px;text-align:left}.widget_oscar-vque.outline strong.subheading{font-size:16px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline strong.heading{font-size:24px;margin:0 0 13px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline ul{max-width:none}.widget_oscar-vque.outline strong.button.arrow{width:auto}.widget_oscar-vque.outline.image-left>a>div{display:block;position:relative;overflow:hidden}.widget_oscar-vque.outline.image-left>a>div>div{float:left}.widget_oscar-vque.outline.image-left>a>div>div:first-child{width:27%;padding:30px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline.image-left>a>div>div.vque-content{width:73%;padding-left:0;color:#383441}}<\/style><a href=\"\/doctor-questions\/\" title=\"Free Download: 14 Questions to Ask\u00a0Your Doctor\" class=\"cte\" data-ce-category=\"In-Content Ads\" data-ce-label=\"Free Download: 14 Questions to Ask\u00a0Your Doctor Ad\" data-desktop-image=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/questions-to-ask-doctor-ipad.png\"><div><div><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"95\" height=\"144\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/questions-to-ask-doctor-ipad.png\" class=\"attachment-Medium size-Medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"14 Questions to Ask Your Doctor packet\" \/><\/div><div class=\"vque-content\"><strong class=\"heading\">Free Download: 14 Questions to Ask\u00a0Your Doctor<\/strong><ul>\n<li>Preparing for treatment<\/li>\n<li>Finding clinical trials<\/li>\n<li>Getting a second opinion<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong class=\"button yellow arrow\" title=\"Get Your Free Download\">Get Your Free Download<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div>\n<h2 id=\"healing-philosophy\">Dr. Taylor Ripley\u2019s Healing Philosophy<\/h2>\n<p>Dr. Ripley believes that it is essential to work within a multidisciplinary system, which means that patients who are treated by Dr. Ripley will also see other specialists who work in other fields such as <a href=\"\/treatment\/radiation\/\">radiation<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;At the Mesothelioma Treatment Center, we provide a comprehensive assessment of patients that includes nutritionists, chaplain, and social workers in addition to medical professionals,&#8221; he states. &#8220;Our goal is to provide a complete evaluation and treatment plan [and] then guide patients through every step of this long and difficult process.&#8221;<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;A misconception I see is patients assuming they can&#8217;t survive or live with mesothelioma. But many of our patients are walking around living relatively normal lives.&#8221;<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 Dr. Taylor Ripley, pleural mesothelioma specialist<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2 id=\"specialized-mesothelioma-treatment\">Get Connected With Dr. Taylor Ripley<\/h2>\n<p>Knowing you have pleural mesothelioma can be stressful and overwhelming, but Dr. Ripley offers his patients their best chance at long-term survival.<\/p>\n<p>As the director of the Mesothelioma Treatment Center at Baylor Lung Institute, Dr. Ripley has the expertise, skills, and resources to help mesothelioma patients fight their diagnosis.<\/p>\n<p>People who work with Dr. Ripley recognize him as a highly intelligent expert in his field. He can help patients review their options and develop a treatment plan that best meets their needs.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re interested in working with Dr. Ripley or any other pleural mesothelioma experts, call our team at <strong><a href=\"tel:+18666088933\" title=\"Click to call (866) 608-8933\" class=\"in-content-tel-link\" data-ce-category=\"Click to Call\" data-ce-label=\"(866) 608-8933\">(866) 608-8933<\/a><\/strong> or use our <a href=\"\/get-matched\/\">Free Doctor Match service<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>About Dr. R. Taylor Ripley Dr. R. Taylor Ripley&#8217;s work is primarily focused on thoracic oncology\u00a0\u2014\u00a0including mesothelioma \u2014 minimally invasive surgical techniques, and research in cancer profiling and mesothelioma cell mutation. In 2018, Dr. R. Taylor Ripley was personally recruited by Dr. David Sugarbaker to take his place as director of the world-class Mesothelioma Treatment&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":18310,"parent":49,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/template-doctor.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-878","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/878","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=878"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/878\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/49"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18310"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=878"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}