Charles W. Francis, M.D.

At Wilmot Cancer Institute, our patients are at the center of all we do. Our goal is to try to optimize treatment, while offering a supportive and healing environment. My patients can be confident knowing I am committed to their best care.

I have always been fascinated by blood disorders and have special interest in hemostasis and thrombosis. As Professor of Medicine and Director of the Program in Hemostasis and Thrombosis, I am actively involved in research initiatives including how blood clots and how this causes diseases such as pulmonary embolism, thrombophlebitis, heart attack and stroke. My clinical research projects relate to why some people are predisposed to getting blood clots and also to development of new blood thinner drugs.

Conditions I Treat

- Sickle cell disease
- Pulmonary embolism
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)

Professional Background

Dr. Francis is Professor of Medicine and of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Rochester. He obtained his MD degree at the University of Pittsburgh and was then an Intern and Resident in Medicine at the University of North Carolina. He joined the University of Rochester as a Fellow in Hematology in 1976, and he has remained at that institution where he is Director of the Hemostasis and Thrombosis program. Dr. Francis has been recipient of a Clinical Investigator Award from the NHLBI and an Established Investigator Award from the American Heart Association. He has served on numerous NIH Review and Advisory Committees. He is a past Chairman of the Scientific and Standardization Committee of the ISTH and Program Chair of the XVIIth International Congress on Hemostasis and Thrombosis. He serves as the Editor-in-Chief of Thrombosis Research. Dr. Francis has both clinical and laboratory research interests. Laboratory research has focused on the structure of fibrinogen and fibrin and mechanisms of fibrinolysis. Current work relates to the work of fibrinogen and fibrin in modulating the effects of FGF-2 on endothelial cells. Clinical research has been in the areas of venous thrombosis and new anticoagulants.

Research