John G. Kral, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Surgery and Medicine

Department of Surgery
SUNY Downstate Medical Center
450 Clarkson Avenue, Box 40
Brooklyn,New York, 11203
718-270-1955 (Phone)
718-270-1317 (Fax)

jkral@downstate.edu

Dr. Kral received his MA in Education and Behavioral Neuroscience in 1961, his MD in 1967, completed surgical residency in 1972 and defended his PhD thesis: “Surgical reduction of Adipose Tissue” in 1976 at the University of Göteborg, Sweden. While there, he participated in establishing the program for surgical treatment of obesity, with a broad range of clinical research studies on Integrative Metabolic Physiology including hepatic lipid metabolism, appetite regulation, vagus nerve function and body composition.

In 1980 he was recruited to St. Luke’s Hospital Center, Columbia University to develop a program of surgical metabolism and anti-obesity surgery. He is a charter member of NAASO-the Obesity Society and a co-founder of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery in 1983.

In 1988 Dr Kral came to Downstate as Professor of Surgery and Director of Surgical Services at KCHC. While at Downstate he has initiated and co-organized the NIH Consensus Development Conference: “Gastrointestinal Surgery for Severe Obesity” in 1991, served as President of the NY State Society of Surgeons 1995-7, was co-chairman of the NIH Workshop: “Research Considerations in Obesity Surgery” in 2001 and served on numerous scientific organizing committees, editorial boards and in scientific societies.

As Professor of Surgery and Medicine and faculty member of the School of Graduate Studies, Dr Kral is a standing member of the Downstate Institutional Review Board, the Credentials Committee and is Director of the campus-wide interdisciplinary GI Conference. He participates in the Alumni Association’s Mentoring Program and provides Surgical Research electives.

Since coming to Downstate, Dr. Kral has published >50 chapters and reviews and >60 peer-reviewed papers in high impact journals such as NEJM, BMJ, Pediatrics, Diabetes and Nature Endocrine and Metabolism. He is currently conducting clinical research on pediatric obesity and its relationships to maternal stress in our inner-city environment.