Dr. Gaertner is professor and chief of Colon & Rectal surgery at the University of Minnesota. He also holds the Stanley M. Goldberg, MD endowed chair in colon & rectal surgery. He completed general surgery residency and colon and rectal surgery fellowship at the University of Minnesota. He is actively involved in both clinical and translational research and he currently serves as the Chair of the Clinical Practice Guidelines committee of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. His research interests include colorectal oncology, minimally invasive surgery, peritoneal carcinomatosis and the human microbiome.