James M. Gardner, M.D., Ph.D.
- Assistant Professor of Surgery
- Division of Transplant Surgery
- Investigator, UCSF Diabetes Center
- Director, UCSF VITAL Core
Contact Information
Education
- Harvard University, B.A., Biochemical Sciences, 2002
University of California San Francisco, M.D., Ph.D. 2012
Residencies
- University of California San Francisco, Intern, General Surgery, 2012-2013
- University of California San Francisco, Resident, General Surgery, 2013-2016
- University of California San Francisco, Chief Resident, General Surgery, 2016-2017
Clinical Expertise
- Ascites
- Bile Duct Cancer (Cholangiocarcinoma)
- Bile Duct Injuries
- Bile Duct Strictures
- Bridging Therapies to Downstage HCC in Liver Transplant Setting
- Choledochal Cysts
- Deceased Donor Organ Utilization
- Gallbladder Cancer
- Hepatocellular Carcinoma (Primary Liver Cancer)
- Kidney Transplantation
- Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy
- Liver Biopsy
- Liver Cysts
- Liver Metastases (Secondary Liver Cancer)
- Liver Resection
- Liver Transplantation
- Living Donor Kidney Transplantation
- Living Donor Liver Transplantation
- Normothetic Machine Liver Perfusion
- Organ Donation of Cardiovascular Death
- Pancreas Transplantation
- Pediatric Kidney Transplantation
- Pediatric Liver Transplantation
- Portal Hypertension
Foreign Languages Spoken
- Spanish
Biography
-
James M. Gardner, M.D., Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Transplant Surgery and a transplant surgeon who performs kidney, liver and pancreas transplants for both adults and children.
Dr. Gardner earned his B.A. from Harvard University in Biochemical Sciences and his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from UCSF. He then completed his General Surgery Residency at UCSF followed by a two-year clinical fellowship in Transplant Surgery.
Recently, Dr. Gardner was awarded an appointment to the prestigious Physician-Scientist Scholar Program (PSSP), only one of which is given per year among all departments in the School of Medicine, and provides direct research funding to support early-career scientists. Dr. Gardner is the first surgeon to receive this award, part of the UCSF Sandler Fellows Program.
Awards & Honors
Award
Confired By
Date
Research Overview
- The Gardner lab studies fundamental mechanisms of immune tolerance -- how the immune system learns to distinguish self from non-self -- and how this understanding can be applied in the context of autoimmunity, transplantation, maternal-fetal tolerance, and cancer immunology.
We have a particular focus on the biology and function of a unique group of cells expressing the Autoimmune Regulator (Aire) gene. Previously the lab identified extra-Thymic Aire-expressing Cells (eTACs), a novel population that plays significant roles in immune homeostasis and immune tolerance. We have since described the fundamental biology and identity of eTACs, as well as defined potential roles for these populations in autoimmune diabetes and in maternal-fetal tolerance.
We utilize multimodal approaches from transgenic engineering to single-cell multiomics to understand the biology and immunology of these unique populations, and more broadly of immune tolerance mechanisms.
The Gardner lab also works closely with the UCSF Transplant community and with the VIable Tissue Acquisition Lab (VITAL) Core, which Dr. Gardner established and directs, to advance groundbreaking research in human immunology and human biology. We work collaboratively with a range of investigators locally and nationally in these efforts.
Publications
MOST RECENT PUBLICATIONS FROM A TOTAL OF 33
Data provided by UCSF Profiles, powered by CTSI
- Reyes EA, Castillo-Azofeifa D, Rispal J, Wald T, Zwick RK, Palikuqi B, Mujukian A, Rabizadeh S, Gupta AR, Gardner JM, Boffelli D, Gartner ZJ, Klein OD. Epithelial TNF controls cell differentiation and CFTR activity to maintain intestinal mucin homeostasis. J Clin Invest. 2023 10 16; 133(20). View in PubMed
- Gardner JM, Liston A. RORγt-lineage APCs: The Aire apparent. Sci Immunol. 2022 Dec 23; 7(78):eade9240. View in PubMed
- Timón-Gómez A, Scharr AL, Wong NY, Ni E, Roy A, Liu M, Chau J, Lampert JL, Hireed H, Kim NS, Jan M, Gupta AR, Day RW, Gardner JM, Wilson RJA, Barrientos A, Chang AJ. Tissue-specific mitochondrial HIGD1C promotes oxygen sensitivity in carotid body chemoreceptors. Elife. 2022 10 18; 11. View in PubMed
- Kedmi R, Najar TA, Mesa KR, Grayson A, Kroehling L, Hao Y, Hao S, Pokrovskii M, Xu M, Talbot J, Wang J, Germino J, Lareau CA, Satpathy AT, Anderson MS, Laufer TM, Aifantis I, Bartleson JM, Allen PM, Paidassi H, Gardner JM, Stoeckius M, Littman DR. A RORγt+ cell instructs gut microbiota-specific Treg cell differentiation. Nature. 2022 10; 610(7933):737-743. View in PubMed
- Sitta R, Roberts J, Gardner J, Ascher N, Piper M. A novel microsurgical reconstruction technique in a living-related liver donor hepatic artery dissection using the native hepatic artery. Am J Transplant. 2022 10; 22(10):2467-2469. View in PubMed
- View All Publications
Posters & Oral Presentations
- Gardner et al., American Transplant Congress, 2015. Outcomes in a new category of Pancreas-After-Islet Transplantation.
- Gardner et al., UCSF Surgery Resident Research Symposium, 2013-2016. Extrathymic Aire-Expressing Cells in Immune Tolerance and Transplantation.
- Gardner et al., International Pancreas and Islet Transplant Association 2013. Outcomes in a new category of Pancreas-After-Islet Transplantation.
- Gardner et al., Children?s Diabetes Foundation of the North Bay Annual Retreat, 2010. Novel Approaches for Preventing and Treating Juvenile Diabetes: What?s on the Horizon?
- Gardner et al., Kyoto T Cell Conference 2009. Extrathymic Aire-Expressing Cells and the Maintenance of Immunologic Tolerance.
- Gardner et al., American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure Donors? Evening, 2008. New approaches to Preventing and Treating Autoimmune Diabetes.
- Gardner et al., UCSF/UCB 2008 Immunology Retreat. Phenotypic and Functional Characterization of Extrathymic Aire-Expressing Cells.
Books Chapters & Edited Books
- Gardner JM, Anderson MS. The Mouse Model of Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndrome Type I. Immunoendocrinology: Scientific and Clinical Aspects. 1st edition. Ed. Eisenbarth G. (New York: Humana Press, 2011.)
In the News
- UCSF General Surgery Residency Program - - May 08, 2020Eva Gillis-Buck, UCSF School of Medicine Class of 2020 and incoming general surgery resident, was awarded the UCSF 2020 Long-Term Dean's Prize in Research. The Long-Term Dean's Prize is available to all UCSF graduating medical students. Finalists were selected based on the submission of a one-page abstract, letter of nomination, and 5-minute presentation to the faculty review committee. Five prizes for long-term research were awarded and all winners presented a virtual pre-recorded video at [...]
- UCSF Division of Transplant Surgery - - July 15, 2019James M. Gardner, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of Transplant Surgery, has been awarded an appointment to the prestigious Physician-Scientist Scholar Program (PSSP), part of the UCSF Sandler Fellows Program. All of the Departments in the University are invited to nominate candidates who compete for the award, only one of which is given per year. Dr. Gardner was nominated by Chris E. Freise, M.D. and Julie Ann Sosa, MD, MA, FACS, and is the first surgeon to receive [...]
- UCSF Resident Research Program - - July 19, 2017James M. Gardner, M.D., Ph.D. and Nicole Conkling, M.D. have been awarded prestigious research grants by the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) for its 2017 funding cycle. Dr. Gardner, who just completed his Chief Residency in General Surgery at UCSF and is a rising fellow in the Division of Transplant Surgery, was the only transplant fellow in the country to receive the prestigious ASTS-Astellas Fellowship. The award will fund Dr. Gardner's research, which he pursued throughout [...]
