During the donor / research rotation, the fellow is
given the opportunity to engage in either clinical/translational or
basic science research, typically under the direct mentorship of
one of the transplant surgeons. The transplant surgeons offer a
broad range of research expertise in transplantation (see faculty
profiles) extending from basic immunology and ischemia/reperfusion
research through the design of clinical trials and outcomes
research using registry data. Care is taken to assess the fellow's
interests and previous research experience to best advise him/her
regarding the optimal project to undertake such that this time
period will be productive.
Histopathology: Interpretation of Allograft Biopsies
The UCSF transplant nephrologists
perform all kidney allograft biopsies (approximately 200 annually).
Similarly, the UCSF transplant hepatologists perform all liver
allograft biopsies for inpatients (approximately 60-75 annually).
Additional allograft biopsies from UCSF transplant recipients
performed outside of UCSF are typically sent over for
histopathologic review. Finally, the UCSF transplant surgeons
perform all pancreas allograft biopsies (6-8 annually). On each
clinical service, allograft biopsies are reviewed daily as a team
with the transplant pathology fellow and attending.
Immunogenetics and Histocompatibility
All fellows are required to attend a full day
course on histocompatibility given annually by the Director and
staff of the Immunogenetics Laboratory. The course covers the
theory and the practice of HLA typing, crossmatching, and work-up
of alloantibodies. While on the Kidney-Pancreas Transplant Service,
issues regarding histocompatibility and crossmatching are
frequently discussed in the context of patient care.