Christopher K. Bichakjian MD

Dr. Christopher Bichakjian is a Clinical Professor of Dermatology, Chief of the Division of Cutaneous Surgery and Oncology, and Director of the Multidisciplinary Melanoma and Merkel Cell Carcinoma Programs at Michigan Medicine. He received his medical degree from Radboud University in The Netherlands. After his return to the US, he completed his dermatology residency and fellowship in dermatologic (Mohs) surgery and cutaneous oncology at the University of Michigan. Following his departure from the University of Michigan to private practice in New York City, Dr. Bichakjian returned to Ann Arbor and joined the Michigan Medicine cutaneous surgery and oncology faculty in 2004. Dr. Bichakjian has a special interest in Merkel cell carcinoma and established one of the first multidisciplinary programs in the world for this rare skin cancer in 2006.

He has presented more than 90 national and international invited lectures and visiting professorships and authored or co-authored nearly 70 peer-reviewed publications with a primary focus on the multidisciplinary management of Merkel cell carcinoma and the use of sentinel lymph node biopsy for melanoma. On a national level, Dr. Bichakjian is heavily involved in the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC), the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), and the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) to improve and develop optimal staging and clinical practice guidelines in cutaneous oncology, and serves as chair of the NCCN Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Panel.