Jason Budde,MD

Jason Budde, MD, joined City of Hope Atlanta in May 2023 as a Thoracic Surgeon, concentrating on the evaluation and treatment of patients with cancers in the chest area, most frequently those diagnosed with lung or esophageal cancer.

Raised in Atlanta, Dr. Budde earned his medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine, after graduating cum laude from Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French. While at Emory, he was named a Warren Scholar and Joseph B. Whitehead Surgery Scholar. He then completed a residency in general surgery, followed by a lab fellowship in cardiothoracic research and a clinical fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery, each at Emory. He later completed a thoracic surgical oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City and also earned his Physician Executive Master of Business Administration at the University of Tennessee.

Dr. Budde has experience in a broad spectrum of conditions—such as heart disease, trauma and various chest abnormalities—both in treating them and educating surgical students and residents, but his specific area of expertise is chest cancer. He has also served as chief of surgery and hospital and cancer center quality physician champion. Currently, he focuses on the multidisciplinary treatment of chest cancers, minimally invasive approaches and lung-sparing surgical treatments. Dr. Budde was thrilled at the opportunity to join City of Hope, with its established reputation in the fight against cancer, specifically in his hometown.

The array of innovative research opportunities available through City of Hope was another significant driving factor for Dr. Budde to join City of Hope Atlanta. His extensive background in clinical and lab research includes participating in more than 25 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, with topics such as cardiothoracic basic science and clinical research to his credit. He has also presented at local, regional and national meetings, including the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress and the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association. Most recently, he served as principal investigator on two important cardiothoracic  studies—NeoCOAST-2 (Neoadjuvant and Adjuvant Treatment in Resectable Non-small Cell Lung Cancer) and PROACT Xa (A Trial to Determine if Participants with an On-X Aortic Valve Can be Maintained Safely on Apixaban)—and plans to help open up additional cancer trials at City of Hope Atlanta.

Dr. Budde is a member of the American College of Chest Physicians, Southern Thoracic Surgical Association, Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons.

Outside of his work in thoracic oncology, Dr. Budde is a proud father who loves to spend his free time traveling with his wife and two daughters. An avid Braves fan, he enjoys playing sports, exercising and participating in his local parish.