He is responsible for interpreting and validating genomic profiling for pathology and whole-genome sequencing for oncology, cardiovascular disease and rare undiagnosed genetic disease.
SAN DIEGO, CA, November 25, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Stewart W. Comer, MD MA FCAP, has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Dr. Comer, a distinguished medical professional, currently serves as the senior director of clinical pathology at Illumina. In this role since 2022, he oversees the clinical laboratory, delivering patient results for prenatal testing globally, including in the United States, Africa, South America and Asia. He is responsible for interpreting and validating genomic profiling for pathology and whole-genome sequencing for oncology, cardiovascular disease and rare undiagnosed genetic disease. Additionally, he has collaborated with a company involved in the development of a comprehensive genomic cancer profile, which has recently received FDA approval.
Prior to his current position, Dr. Comer spent eight years as a pathologist at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital from 2014 to 2022. During this period, he also served as the chair of pathology and the laboratory director for all three Cottage Health hospitals and the Santa Barbara County Public Health Lab. Notably, he was named Physician of the Year at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in 2019. He played a crucial role during the COVID-19 pandemic by conducting all variant testing for Santa Barbara County and collaborating with the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Comer held a molecular genetics pathology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center from 2011 until 2012. His focus on molecular testing and sequencing laid the foundation for his extensive involvement in sequencing COVID-19 variants during the pandemic. Before this fellowship, he served as the chief medical officer for Navy Medicine West under the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery between 2007 and 2011 and as the executive director of clinical support services at Naval Medical Center San Diego from 2003 to 2007.
Before beginning his endeavors in medicine, Dr. Comer had an extensive military background that provided him with leadership skills that have been instrumental throughout his career. He served in Navy nuclear power program in the U.S. Navy from 1976 to 1982 and again as a Navy physician from 1989 until 2014, with a period in the U.S. Navy Reserve between 1985 and 1989 while attending medical school at the University of California San Diego.
Laying the path for Dr. Comer's professional journey have been his academic achievements and certifications. He earned a BA degree in biology in 1985 followed by an MD from the University of California San Diego (UCSD). He also completed a master's degree in business management from the Peter F. Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University and a second baccalaureate in applied mathematics at UCSD in 2001. He has also obtained several certifications, including a Data Science and AI for Decision Makers Certificate from MIT Professional Education in 2024, Certificate from the American Society of Quality as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt in 2010 and an Accounting Certificate from UCSD in 2002.
Supplementing Dr. Comer's career are his active memberships in several industry-related organizations. These include the College of American Pathologists, the Association for Molecular Pathology, the American Statistical Association, Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society, Golden Key National Honor Society and Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society. He is also an inaugural member of the "Revelle College 100" at the University of California San Diego.
Dr. Comer attributes his success to faith and family, which have been constant sources of support throughout his career. Looking ahead, he aims to further advance genomic medicine to enhance patient care. His dedication to genomics stems from its growing significance and the importance of genome sequencing in modern medicine — a field in which he continues to make substantial contributions daily by sequencing patients' entire genomes to better understand their genetic makeup for effective cancer treatment or diagnosing rare genetic diseases.
About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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