Chase C. Alston, MD, MHS

About Dr. Alston

Chase is a PGY-1 general surgery resident. She was born in Harlem, New York, and raised in Southern Maryland. For undergrad she attended the Johns Hopkins University, where she majored in Public Health Studies with an Honors in Research. After graduating she earned her Master’s in Health Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Prior to medical school she worked in social work and sexual health education, spearheading several public health campaigns throughout the state of Maryland. She attended medical school at Weill Cornell Medical College, during which she completed a research fellowship with the New York Presbyterian Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Her clinical interest includes breast cancer disparities, peripheral nerve reconstruction, and incorporating trauma informed care into surgical practices. She hopes to have an academic surgery practice in the future. 

Education

2025
MD - Weill Cornell Medicine

2018
MHS - Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public
Health, Master of Health Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

2017
BA - Johns Hopkins University, Public Health Studies

Societies

2023
Gold Humanism Honor Society

Awards

2024
Top 50 Abstract PSTM
Comparing the Costs Associated with Performing Microsurgical Procedures in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: An Experience from Rural Kenya

2024
Top 50 Abstract PSTM
Topical Tacrolimus Outperforms Topical Nitroglycerin for Pedicled Flap Survival in an Ischemic Rodent Model: Gross and Histologic Analysis

2024
Top 50 Abstract PSTM
Learning Curve for Performing Targeted Nipple Areola Complex Reinnervation (TNR) for Gender Mastectomy- Moving from Nerve Graft Reconstruction to Direct Nerve Coaptation

2024
PSTM Best Paper Presentation

2024
Top 24 in Abstracts ASRM

2024
Best Clinical Poster BNGAP LGBTQHWC

2024
Ida Sophia Scudder Excellence in Public Service

2023
Top 200 Abstract PSTM: Targeted Nipple Areola Complex Reinnervation in Gender-affirming Double-Incision Mastectomy with Free Nipple Grafting

2023
Roberts Lifestyle Diversity Research Scholarship Awardee

Research

Throughout medical school, Alston conducted a range of research in breast cancer disparities. She led a qualitative study highlighting factors that influenced breast reconstruction decision making among women from populations that historically are less likely to get reconstruction. She also was the research lead for a multi-institution prospective clinical trial investigating differences in sensation return among patients undergoing gender affirming mastectomy, autologous breast reconstruction, and implant-based reconstruction either with or without reinnervation.

Publications

Manuscripts and Book Chapters

1. CC Alston, C Choate, P Asadourian, T Webster, DM Otterburn. “Misconceptions About Mastectomies: How Reconstruction Desires Influence Breast Cancer Treatment Decisions.” Annals of Plastic Surgery. Accepted June 25, 2025.
2. CC Alston, K Remy, M Kochheiser, K Vicente, T Webster, E Tomczyk, J Winograd, LE Cohen, WG Austen, I Valerio, L Gfrerer. “Learning Curve for Sensory Preservation After Transgender Mastectomy using TNR (Targeted Nipple Reinnervation). Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Accepted March 18, 2025
3. CC Alston, Y Chen, P Asadourian, GG Black, CH Rohde, DM Otterburn. “Reconstruction Trends in New York City: A Multi-Decade, Multi-Institutional Experience Before and After the Implementation of the Breast Cancer Provider Discussion Law.” Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery. Accepted September 11, 2024.
4. C Alston, Y Chen, G Black, P Asadourian, T Chadab, D Otterburn. “Comparative Analysis of Recurrence-Free Survival and Mortality in Post-Mastectomy Patients: Insights from Multi-Decade, Multi-Institutional Propensity Score Matching.” Annals of Plastic Surgery, April 1 2024.
5. K Remy, C Alston, E Gonzales, MHJ Hazewinkel, KH Carruthers, LE Cohen, E Tomczyk, JM Winograd, WG Austen Jr, IL Valerio, L Gfrerer. “Association of Targeted Reinnervation During Gender-Affirming Mastectomy with Restoration of Sensation.” JAMA Network Open. Accepted September 30, 2024.
6. IJ Rhodes, CC Alston, A Zhang, S Arbuiso, SJ Medina, M Liao, JJ Ng, D Romeo, S Dahir, WR Rhodes, D Otterburn. “The Pattern and Profile of Orofacial Clefts in Somaliland: A Review of 40 Consecutive Cleft lip and Palate Surgical Camps.” Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, 5 June 2024.
7. IJ Rhodes, A Zhang, S Arbuiso, CC Alston, SJ Medina, M Liao, J Nthumba, P Chesang, G Hayden, WR Rhodes, D Otterburn. “Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery at a Rural African Hospital: A 13 Year Experience from Western Kenya.” Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, 5 June 2024.
8. K Remy; CC Alston; KH Carruthers; WG Austen Jr.; IL Valerio; L Gfrerer. “Do Female and Male Chests Feel the Same? A Comprehensive Quantitative Sensory Analysis.” Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery. November 22, 2024.
9. A Zhang, ML Wang, H Huang, G Black, S Arbuiso, C Alston, IJ Rhodes, DM Otterburn. “Donor Nerve Selection: Objective and Patient-Reported Sensory Outcomes in Neurotized Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flaps.” Annals of Plastic Surgery. April 2025
10. A Zhang, S Salingaros, S Arbuiso, C Alston, IJ Rhodes, ML Wang, G Black, DM Otterburn. “Nerve Allograft Demonstrates Comparable Long-Term Objective and Subjective Breast Sensation to Direct Coaptation in Neurotized Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap Reconstruction.” Annals of Plastic Surgery. April 2025.
11. S Arbuiso, A Zhang, ML Wang, C Alston, IJ Rhodes, DM Otterburn. “Sensation Alterations Following Superior and Superomedial Wise Pattern Breast Reductions.” Annals of Plastic Surgery. April 2025.
12. S Arbuiso, Y Chen, N Vernice, A Zhang, IJ Rhodes, C Alston, S Hanif, S Liu, P Bhardwaj, D Janhofer, G Black, D Otterburn, KA Brown. “Processing Techniques Affect Aromatase Expression in Fat Grafts for Breast Reconstruction.” Journal of the Endocrine Society. October 2024.
13. K Remy, K Packowski, C Alston, LN Kozanno, KH Carruthers, EG Tomczyk, JM Winograd, WG Austen Jr, IL Valerio, L Gfrerer. “Prospective Sensory Outcomes for Targeted Nipple Areola Complex Reinnervation (TNR) in Gender-affirming Mastectomy with Free Nipple Grafting.” Annals of Surgery. December 2023.
14. C. Eden, G. Syrnioti, J. Johnson, G. Fasano, S. Bayard, C. Alston, A. Liu, X.K. Zhou, T. Ju, L.A. Newman, M. Malik (2023). “Breast Cancer Incidence Among Asian American Women in New York City: Disparities in Screening and Presentation.” Ann Surg Oncol. 2023 Dec 6. doi: 10.1245/s10434-023-14640-8.
15. G. Syrnioti, C. M. Eden, J. A. Johnson, C. Alston, A. Syrnioti, & L. A. Newman (2023). “Social Determinants of Cancer Disparities.” Annals of Surgical Oncology, 1-11.
16. S Tuck, AC Summers, J Bowie, D Fife-Stallworth, C Alston, S Hayes, S Alexander. "B'More Fit for Healthy Babies: using trauma-informed care policies to improve maternal health in Baltimore city." Women's health issues 27 (2017): S38-S45

Oral Presentation

1. CC Alston, K Remy, M Kochheiser, T Webster, E Tomczyk, J Winograd, L Cohen, WG Austen Jr, IL Valerio, L Gfrerer. Learning Curve for Performing Targeted Nipple Areola Complex Reinnervation (TNR) for Gender Mastectomy- Moving from Nerve Graft Reconstruction to Direct Nerve Coaptation. Top 50 Abstract. Best Presentation. Plastic Surgery the Meeting, San Diego, California.
2. CC Alston, N Qin, ML Wang, S Arbuiso, IJ Rhodes, A Zhang, H Huang, J Bernstein, L Cohen, D Otterburn. No Refill Needed: Long Term Effects of a Methadone-Based ERAS Protocol for Improved Pain Management in DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction Following Hospital Discharge. Plastic Surgery The Meeting 2024. San Diego, CA. September 2024.
3. K Remy, CC Alston, KH Carruthers, WG Austen Jr, IL Valerio, L Gfrerer. Do Female and Male Chests Feel the Same? A Comprehensive Quantitative Sensory Analysis. Plastic Surgery the Meeting, September 27, 2024, San Diego, California. (upcoming).
4. A Zhang, A Truong, G Thomas, IJ Rhodes, CC Alston, S Arbuiso, DM Otterburn. Understanding Management of Emergency Department Lacerations Under the No Surprises Act: A Multi-Institutional Survey Study. Plastic Surgery The Meeting 2024. San Diego, CA. September 2024 (upcoming).
5. A Zhang, S Arbuiso, CC Alston, IJ Rhodes, GG Black, DM Otterburn. Feeling Matters: Objective Breast Sensation Evaluation by Anatomical Region and Its Impact on BREAST-Q Scores Post-Reconstruction. Plastic Surgery The Meeting 2024. San Diego, CA. September 2024 (upcoming).
6. A Zhang, DD Freitas, S Arbuiso, IJ Rhodes, CC Alston, DM Otterburn. “Reporting Sensation: Charting BREAST-Q Sensation Module Outcomes Over Time in Neurotized Autologous and Two-Stage Alloplastic Reconstruction.” Plastic Surgery The Meeting 2024. San Diego, CA. September 2024 (upcoming).
7. IJ Rhodes, CC Alston, S Arbuiso, A Zhang, SJ Medina, M Liao, S Achen, C Stephens, D Otterburn. “Topical Tacrolimus Outperforms Topical Nitroglycerin for Pedicled Flap Survival in an Ischemic Rodent Model: Gross and Histologic Analysis.” Top 50 Abstract. Plastic Surgery The Meeting 2024. San Diego, CA. September 2024.
8. IJ Rhodes, CC Alston, S Arbuiso, A Zhang, S Medina, M Liao, G Hayden, P Chesang, DM Otterburn. “Comparing the Costs Associated with Performing Microsurgical Procedures in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: An Experience from Rural Kenya.” Top 50 Abstract. Plastic Surgery The Meeting 2024. San Diego, CA. September 2024.
9. IJ Rhodes, A Zhang, CC Alston, S Arbuiso, SJ Medina, M Liao, G Hayden, P Chesang, N Batdorf, DM Otterburn. “Evaluating the Cost Effectiveness of the Anterolateral Thigh Free Flap for Lower-Extremity Reconstruction in Rural Africa.” Plastic Surgery The Meeting 2024. San Diego, CA. September 2024.
10. IJ Rhodes, A Zhang, S Arbuiso, CC Alston, SJ Medina, M Liao, A Truong, DM Otterburn. “Comparing Incidences of Dehiscence in an Ischemic Rodent Model Treated with Either Topical Nitroglycerin or Topical Tacrolimus.” Plastic Surgery The Meeting 2024. San Diego, CA. September 2024.
11. IJ Rhodes, CC Alston, S Arbuiso, A Zhang, SJ Medina, M Liao, A Truong, S Achen, ML Wang, C Stephens, D Otterburn. “Topical Tacrolimus Application Frequency Does Not Affect Flap Necrosis Outcomes in an Ischemic Rodent Model.” Plastic Surgery The Meeting 2024. San Diego, CA. September 2024.
12. IJ Rhodes, A Zhang, CC Alston, S Arbuiso, SJ Medina, M Liao, G Hayden, P Chesang, N Batdorf, DM Otterburn. “The Feasibility of Establishing a Microsurgical Practice in a Limited Resource African Settings: An Experience from Western Kenya.” Plastic Surgery The Meeting 2024. San Diego, CA. September 2024.
13. IJ Rhodes, A Zhang, CC Alston, SJ Medina, M Liao, JJ Ng, DJ Romeo, S Dahir, WR Rhodes, DM Otterburn. “Clinical Profile and Presentation of Orofacial Clefts in the World’s Fourth Poorest Country: A Single Surgeon’s Review of 40 Surgical Camps in Hargeisa, Somaliland.” Plastic Surgery The Meeting 2024. San Diego, CA. September 2024.
14. IJ Rhodes, CC Alston, A Zhang, S Arbuiso, SJ Medina, M Liao, JJ Ng, DJ Romeo, S Dahir, WR Rhodes, DM Otterburn. “Addressing the Backlog of Patients with Unrepaired Cleft Lip and Palate in the World’s Fourth Poorest Country: A Review of 40 Surgical Camps Conducted by an American Plastic Surgeon.” Plastic Surgery The Meeting 2024. San Diego, CA. September 2024.
15. A Zhang, ML Wang, H Huang, G Black, S Arbuiso, CC Alston, IJ Rhodes, D Otterburn. Donor Nerve Selection: Objective and Patient-Reported Sensory Outcomes in Neurotized Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flaps. Northeastern Society of Plastic Surgery. Philadelphia, PA. September 2024 (upcoming)
16. A Zhang, S Salingaros, S Arbuiso, CC Alston, IJ Rhodes, ML Wang, G Black, D Otterburn. Nerve Allograft Demonstrates Comparable Long-term Objective and Subjective Breast Sensation to Direct Coaptation in Neurotized Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap Reconstruction. Northeastern Society of Plastic Surgery. Philadelphia, PA. September 2024 (upcoming).
17. A Zhang, S Arbuiso, CC Alston, IJ Rhodes, DM Otterburn. How We Feel: Charting BREAST-Q Sensation Module Outcomes Over Time in Neurotized Autologous Reconstruction versus Two-Stage Alloplastic Reconstruction. 67th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. Sea Island, GA. June 2024 (upcoming)
18. K Remy, CC Alston, MHJ Hazewinkel, KH Carruthers, EG Tomczyk, LE Cohen, JM Winograd, WG Austen Jr., IL Valerio, L Gfrerer. Preservation of Sensation after Gender-affirming Mastectomy: A Multi-institutional, Prospective Case Control Study of Quantitative and Qualitative Sensory Outcomes. American Association of Plastic Surgeons 102nd Annual Meeting, Boston, May 2024.
19. K Remy, CC Alston, U Sanchez-Rangel, CD Hwang, KH Carruthers, EG Tomczyk, JM Winograd, WG Austen Jr, IL Valerio, L Gfrerer. Reduced Postoperative Chronic and Neuropathic Pain with Targeted Nipple Areola Complex Reinnervation in Gender-Affirming Mastectomy. Plastic Surgery Research Council 2024, Boston, MA.
20. S Arbuiso, A Zhang, IJ Rhodes, C Alston, D Janhofer, Y Chen, N Vernice, G Black, KA Brown, DM Otterburn. “Comparison of Relative Aromatase Gene Expression in Lipoaspirate Extracted Using Active Filtration, Low Pressure Decantation and Traditional Suction Decantation.” Plastic Surgery Research Council 2024, Boston, MA.
21. K Remy, C Alston, M Hazewinkel, K H Carruthers, E G Tomczyk, J M Winograd, W G Austen, I L Valerio, L Gfrerer. Targeted Nipple Areola Complex Reinnervation (TNR) in Gender-Affirming Mastectomy: A Multi-Institutional Prospective Case Control Study of Quantitative and Qualitative Sensory Outcomes. American Society for Peripheral Nerve (ASPN) 2024, Nassau, Bahamas.
22. A Zhang, C Alston, M Wright, M Lu Wang, G B Black, H Huang, A Ellison, D Otterburn. “Pick a Nerve, any Nerve… or Not? Donor Nerve Selection in Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flaps.”  American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery (ASRM) 2024, Nassau, Bahamas.
23. C Alston, Y Chen, P Asadourian, G Black, N Qin, DD Freitas, J Bernstein, C Rodhe, D Otterburn. Breastoration: Unpacking the Correlation between Demographic Factors and Breast Reconstruction Rates. Plastic Surgery The Meeting 2023, Austin, TX.
24. C Alston, H Huang, Y Chen, G Black, P Asadourian, C Rodhe, D Otterburn. Charting Outcomes: The Correlation Between Area of Deprivation Index and Disparities in Breast Reconstruction. Plastic Surgery The Meeting 2023, Austin, TX.
25. K Remy, K Packowski, C Alston, LN Kozanno, KH Carruthers, EG Tomczyk, JM Winograd, WG Austen Jr., IL Valerio, L Gfrerer. Intraoperative Anatomy and Postoperative Sensation of Targeted Nipple Areola Complex Reinnervation in Gender-affirming Double-Incision Mastectomy with Free Nipple Grafting. Top 200 Abstract. Plastic Surgery The Meeting 2023, Austin, TX.
26. K Remy, K Packowski, C Alston, K H Carruthers, E G Tomczyk, J M Winograd, W G Austen, I L Valerio, L Gfrerer. Prospective Sensory Outcomes for Targeted Nipple Areola Complex Reinnervation (TNR) in Gender-Affirming Double Incision Mastectomy with Free Nipple Grafts. Presented at United States Professional Association for Transgender Health (USPATH), November 2023, Westminster, CO.

Selected Magazine and Commentary

1. C Alston 2020. “To be 25, Black, and Scared of the Risks of Pregnancy.” Glamour, Aug 20.
2. C Alston 2020. “To Better Health Outcomes for Black People, Listen to Black Health Care Workers.” The Body Pro, Aug 06.
3. C Alston 2020. “Why All HIV Care Must Be Trauma-Informed Care.” The Body Pro, April 15
4. C Alston 2020. “Vicarious Trauma and the HIV Workforce: How to Take Care of Your Own Mental Health.” The Body Pro, April 8.
5. C Alston 2020 “Barriers to Cisgendered Women and HIV Prevention.” The Body Pro, January 29
6. C Alston 2019. “Washington, D.C. Youth Face Too Many Barriers to HIV Prevention and Sexual Health.” The Body Pro, Oct 2.
7. C Payne, G Hargrove, C Alston 2016. “JHU efforts to cut a union company raises doubts about its commitment to Baltimore.” The Baltimore Sun, July 29 (Print: August 1).