Pancreas Transplant Program Team

We believe the diverse strengths and abilities of our medical staff and our commitment to teamwork are instrumental to the effective treatment of patients with kidney and/or pancreas disease. Having spent their careers studying, treating, and understanding the function of these organs, as well as the network of subtle interactions between the kidney and pancreas and the rest of the body, our physicians are able to precisely assess the evolving condition of the patient.

Our pancreas transplant program has established a strong collaborative relationship with Boston Medical Center – an arrangement that allows experts from both hospitals to work together to evaluate and treat our patients. Our team includes transplant nephrologists, surgeons, transplant nurse coordinators, social workers, a pharmacist, and other medical professionals.

Highlighted below are key members of the team who work closely together on a daily basis to provide specialized care for our patients.

Stefan G. Tullius, MD, PhD, FACS,

Stefan G. Tullius, MD, PhD, FACS,

Surgical Director

Stefan G. Tullius, MD, PhD, FACS, is the Chief of the Division of Transplant Surgery, Co-Director of the Schuster Transplant Center, and a Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. He is the Program/Surgical Director of the Kidney/Pancreas Program and Principal Investigator of the Transplant Surgery Research Laboratory.

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Jean M. Francis, MD

Jean M. Francis, MD

Medical Director

Jean M. Francis, MD is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Boston University. He is the appointed Medical Director of the Pancreas Transplant Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He completed his Internal Medicine residency and Nephrology fellowship at Yale University- Hospital of Saint Raphael Medical Campus.

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Anil Chandraker, MD

Anil Chandraker, MD

Medical Director

Medical Director of the Kidney/Pancreas Transplant Program, Interim Director of the Transplant Research Center, and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

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Sayeed Malek, MD

Sayeed Malek, MD

Transplant Surgeon

Sayeed Malek, MD, is the Clinical Director of the Division of Transplant Surgery and an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. His clinical specialties are kidney and pancreas transplantation, and his interests include laparoscopic donor nephrectomy, vascular access, and clinical studies on ECD and DCD donors.

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Edgar Louis Milford, MD

Edgar Louis Milford, MD

Transplant Nephrologist

Edgar Louis Milford, MD, is a transplant nephrologist and an immunogeneticist. Dr. Milford is the Director of the BWH Tissue Typing Laboratory and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

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Nader Najafian, MD

Nader Najafian, MD

Transplant Nephrologist

Nader Najafian, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and an associate physician. He has broad research interests in transplantation, including basic, translational, and clinical research. In the lab, his research focuses on dissecting out the role of T-cell costimulatory pathways to induce tolerance in experimental animal models and on developing biomarkers to monitor the immune status of transplant recipients.

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Jamil Azzi, MD

Jamil Azzi, MD

Transplant Nephrologist

Jamil Azzi, MD, is a transplant nephrologist and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Azzi also is the Program Director of the BWH Transplant Medicine Fellowship Program.

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Medical Specialists

BWH medical specialists provide the expertise vital to making transplantation a success. After transplantation and throughout long-term follow-up care, our specialists closely monitor the patient's progress and help determine an individualized medication program. Our specialists will make careful assessments of the body's reaction to the transplant and adjust the anti-rejection medications that truly make the transplant viable.

Pharmacist

Steven Gabardi, PharmD, BCPS, FAST, FCCP, is a transplant pharmacist and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He also is the Director of the Organ Transplant Pharmacology Residency program. Board-certified as a pharmacotherapy specialist, Dr. Gabardi has published in several textbooks and peer-reviewed journals for medicine, surgery, and pharmacy. In his capacity as our medication expert, Dr. Gabardi plays a pivotal role in patient education and long-term medication management.

Physician Assistants

  • Helen Le, Division of Renal Medicine
  • Jillian Lynch, Division of Renal Medicine
  • Kaitlyn McGowan, Division of Renal Medicine
  • Catherine Quinn, Division of Transplant Surgery
  • Derek Schmidt, Division of Renal Medicine
  • Sheri Talbott, Division of Renal Medicine

Nurse Coordinators and Social Workers

The specialized focus of our BWH surgical and medical staff is supplemented by the comprehensive expertise of our nurse coordinators and social workers. We believe that the deep personal bonds that develop between them and the patient are essential to their work and crucial to the overall success of the transplant program.

From the initial screening process to in-hospital preparation and education, and throughout long-term follow-up care, our nurse coordinators and social workers provide treatment, information, and, most importantly, close personal support. At any time, patients and their families can speak with someone who cares and someone who can immediately help, regardless of the issue or problem.

Our nurse coordinators and social worker believe that the deep personal bonds that develop between them and the patient are essential to their work and crucial to the overall success of the transplant program.

Pre Transplant Nurse Coordinators – Initial screening, education, and support up to transplant

  • Karen Bessette, RN
  • Michelle Scala, RN
  • Nancy Minghella, RN

Post Transplant Nurse Coordinators – In-hospital support and education and long-term follow-up care after transplant

  • Jodi Donnellan, RN
  • Kevin McComiskey, RN
  • Sheila Patterson, RN
  • Tara Quinn, RN
  • Debbie Seed, RN

Pre/Post Transplant Nurse Coordinators

  • Rita Calden, RN
  • Andrea Correnti-Lundy, RN
  • Margaret Power, RN

Living Donor Nurse Coordinators – Screening, education, support, and long-term follow-up for living kidney donors

  • Annmarie Dunn-Morgan, RN
  • Kristen Pelletier, RN

Transplant Social Workers – Support recipients and donors throughout the transplant process

  • Barbara Levine, LICSW
  • Annette Pimenta, LICS

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