Mark B. Landon, MD

Professor and Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Richard L. Meiling Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Profile on OSU:Pro

Recent News:
Landon Named Chair Of Ob/Gyn At OSU Medical Center

Treating Even Mild Diabetes in Pregnancy Has Benefit

What do you like best about practicing medicine at OSU Medical Center?

The professionalism of our staff and their dedication to delivering the best possible care to our patients are truly inspiring.

What excites you most about the future of medicine?

In the field of obstetrics, we are just beginning to appreciate the long-term effects of the intrauterine environment on various adult conditions, including obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Obstetricians will likely play a key role in reducing the burden of these diseases by developing and implementing interventional strategies through nutrition and supplement guidance for pregnant women.

How do you think P4 Medicine (medicine that is more predictive, preventive, personalized and participatory) will change your specialty over the next 10 years?

The concept of P4 medicine fits perfectly with developing strategies to reduce the likelihood of certain adult diseases in the offspring of pregnant women. Conceivably, certain nutritional interventions could be tailored to fit individual risk based upon family history and genetic predisposition. Prenatal treatments, including preimplantation genetic therapies, are likely to become more common in the future as well.

Name one of your medical career mentors and tell us what you learned from him/her.

I am most fortunate that my mentor for the past 30 years has been Dr. Steven Gabbe. Dr. Gabbe has taught me so many invaluable lessons. Above all, he has emphasized the importance of being positive and bringing out the best in people.

What advice do you have for young physicians early in their careers?

Be passionate about your work and seek to obtain as much experience as possible. Do not let learning opportunities pass you by.

Who in history would you most like to meet and why?

In the realm of medicine, Sir William Osler stands out to me as the most interesting individual. Accomplished in so many fields, he shaped modern postgraduate medical education. Every time a case is presented to me, I always recognize the inherent limitation of not necessarily being able to examine the patient. Osler stressed the importance of seeing and talking to patients as paramount to learning and diagnosis.

What are your hobbies or volunteer activities?

I try to run at least every other day. This quiet time allows me to reflect and organize my upcoming activities in my mind. I have also enjoyed watching both of my daughters play varsity tennis.

Star Colleague: Richard O’Shaughnessy, MD, professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, is a pioneer in invasive fetal therapy. More than 20 years ago, he performed the first in utero fetal umbilical cord blood transfusion for Rh disease in Ohio. He also regularly performs in utero procedures, including shunt placements for fetal urinary obstruction and laser ablation for the twin-twin transfusion syndrome. All of us at OSUMC, as well as the pregnant women in central Ohio, are very fortunate to have such a talented and experienced individual to treat complex fetal conditions

CV summary

Medical Degree: Cornell University Medical College

Internship: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Residency: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Fellowship: Maternal Fetal Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

National Offices or Board Positions: Examiner, American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Research Interests: Vaginal birth after cesarean delivery (VBAC); diabetes in pregnancy.