Norman L. Sussman, M.D., FAASLD

Norman L. Sussman, M.D., FAASLD, joined DURECT as Chief Medical Officer in November 2020. He has extensive clinical experience and expertise in the field of liver disease and brings over 30 years of clinical research and development experience in academia and industry. Prior to joining DURECT, he was an Associate Professor of Medicine and Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine and a faculty member of Baylor College of Medicine from 1985 to 1990 and again from 2003 to 2020 with some time also spent as the Chief of Hepatology at the University of Utah School of Medicine. During his academic career, he served as a principal investigator for research focused on the assessment and management of acute liver failure and artificial liver support. Dr. Sussman gained leadership experience in industry as the Founder and Vice President of both Amphioxus Cell Technologies from 1995 to 2003 and Hepatix, Inc. from 1993 to 1995. Most recently, he has also served in senior leadership roles as a member of the Baylor Faculty Senate and as director of the telehealth program, Project ECHO®, at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center.

Dr. Sussman received his Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. He then completed his residency at St. Louis University Hospital and his postdoctoral fellowship at Washington University. He is board certified in internal medicine, gastroenterology, and transplant hepatology. Dr. Sussman is also a fellow of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, which is a designation that recognizes his superior level of professional achievement in the field of hepatology.