About
From my earliest memories, I have wanted to be a doctor. I wanted the opportunity to work in a field where I could help others. After graduation from the University of Missouri with my degree in nutritional sciences, I stayed at MU for medical school. During medical school, I found in the field of surgery not just the opportunity to help others but also a way to fight disease through surgical cures. So, after much thought, I chose to become a general surgeon. After medical school graduation, I again stayed at the University of Missouri to complete my general surgical residency. During my residency, I developed a love for treating obesity. The ability to help people who struggle with weight-related illness led me to a career in relieving obesity through surgical cures.
Education & Training
Medical School
University of Missouri School of Medicine
Residency
Surgery (General Surgery)
- University of Missouri School of Medicine GME
Fellowship
Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery
- SSM DePaul Health Center
Boards
Insurances
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In the News
Academic Information
Office
One Hospital Drive
Mc414 DC075.00
Columbia, MO 65212
United States
Research Profile
Understanding metabolic implications of obesity and patients having weight loss surgery and the impact of weight loss surgery on disease. Defining the mechanisms of success and failure of weight loss after weight loss surgery from a behavioral, metabolic, mechanical, and genetic perspective
Research Interests
- Metabolic and bariatric surgery
- Disease improvement after weight loss surgery
- Failure of weight loss after weight loss surgery
Areas of Expertise
- Weight loss surgery, gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, duodenal switch
- Revisional weight loss surgery
- Advanced upper endoscopy
- General Surgery
- Biliary Surgery, gallbladder removal
- Gastric Surgery
- Abdominal wall hernias, inguinal hernias, abdominal wall reconstruction
Related Links
Awards & Honors
- 05/2002 University of Missouri, Graduate with Honors, Magna Cum Laude
- 05/2001-08/2001 Life Sciences Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Scholarship Recipient
- 08/2001 Second Place Poster Presentation, Cardiovascular Research Day, School of Veterinary Medicine
- 05/2002 University of Missouri, Graduate with Honors, Magna Cum Laude
- 05/2006 Division of General Surgery “Marion S. Deweese” Award for Outstanding Student in General Surgery
- 05/2006 Donald Silver Award for Excellence in Vascular Surgery
- 05/2006 Medical Student Affairs Council Student Leadership and Service Award
- 09/2007 Honorable Mention “Best General Surgery Video” Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons. “Laparoscopic omental repair of perforated marginal ulcer following laparoscopic Roux-en-y gastric bypass”
- 06/2008 Third Place, Best Scientific Presentation. Missouri Chapter American College of Surgeons, “Retrorectus polyester mesh repair for midline ventral hernias: Retrospective case series”
- 06/2008 Best Video Presentation. Missouri Chapter American College of Surgeons. Bartow KN, Wheeler AA, Morales MP, Antillon MR, Scott JS, de la Torre RA. “Laparoscopic Access to the Excluded Stomach Following Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass.”
- 06/2009 Medical Student Annual Teaching Award
- 06/2010 1st Place, Best Scientific Presentation. Missouri Chapter American College of Surgeons. “Variable microRNA Expression in Formalin-Fixed Paraffin Embedded Breast Cancer Specimens”
- 10/2016 St. Louis North County, Inc. 30 Leaders in their 30s award
Societies
- 2012-current Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons
- 2016-current Fellow of American College of Surgeons
- 2016-current Fellow of American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons
Grants/funding
- 12/2009-12/2010 University of Missouri, Department of Surgery Internal Grant ($40,000). Racial and Age Related Epigentic Differences in Female Breast Cancer. Principal Investigator (Andrew A. Wheeler, MD).
Industry-sponsored
- 03/25/2021-Current Medtronic, Inc. Evaluating Minimally Invasive Device Performance in Tissues from Obese Pigs. Multi-PI. ($172,832)
- 12/15/2020-Current A Prospective, Single-Arm, Multi-Center Study of the ECHELON EndopathTM Staple Line Reinforcement Device in Gastric and Lung Resection Procedures. Multi-Center Study. Site Principle Investigator ($54,575)
- 09/2020-Current Allena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Establishing the Safety and Efficacy of Reloxaliase (Oxalate Decarboxylase) in Patients with Enteric Hyperoxaluria: A Phase III Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study (URIROX-2). Multi-Center Study. Site Principle Investigator ($20,842)
- 12/6/2018-Current Medtronic, Inc. A multi-center post-market single arm prospective study of Parietene™ DS Composite Mesh in subjects undergoing ventral hernia repair. Principle Investigator ($44,000)
- 05/2017-01/2018 Ethicon Endosurgery, Inc Patient Feedback Study for the Health Partner for Weight Loss Surgery Mobile App. Principal Investigator (Andrew A. Wheeler, MD)
Intramural Funding
- 03/2021-Current University of Missouri-Columbia, School of Medicine. Translational Research Informing Useful and Meaningful Precision Health (TRIUMPH) Initiative. Biometabolic Outcomes After Weight Loss Surgery: An Individualized Approach. Principle Investigator ($100,000)
- 12/2009-12/2010 University of Missouri, Department of Surgery Internal Grant. Racial and Age Related Epigentic Differences in Female Breast Cancer. Principal Investigator ($40,000)
Extramural Funding
- 08/2020-Current Foundation for Surgical Fellowships, Bariatric Surgical Fellowship FY21-22 ($60,000)
- 07/01/2018-Current “Nutrient overload, insulin resistance, and hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction.” National Institutes of Health. Project number: 5R01DK113701-02. Co-Investigator