The Department of Renal and Pancreas Transplant at Saint Barnabas Medical Center is pleased to announce Anup Patel, MD as Director of Transplant Research and Praveen Kandula, MD, MPH as the new Medical Director of the Living Donor Institute.
“Under the leadership of Dr. Patel and Dr. Kandula, the kidney and pancreas transplant program will continue to build upon its history of excellence in both living donor kidney transplant and transplant research,” states Francis L. Weng, MD, MSCE, Associate Chief of the Transplant Division at Saint Barnabas Medical Center.
As the Director of Transplant Research, Dr. Patel will provide oversight for the program’s extensive research endeavors. Dr. Patel has had a long-standing interest in clinical research pertaining to new transplant medications, therapeutics, and diagnostics. This research includes studies of novel immunosuppressives, new antiviral medications, protocols for inducing tolerance in transplant recipients, and non-invasive testing of transplant recipients. For many years, Dr. Patel has played a crucial role in the Transplant Division’s research efforts, and the research team is respected as among the best in the transplant world. Dr. Patel will now officially oversee the transplant research team and continue its efforts to advance the field of transplantation. Participation in this research allows Saint Barnabas Medical Center to offer its transplant patients novel and cutting edge therapies.
Dr. Patel joined the Renal and Pancreas Transplant Division after completing an internal medicine residency and fellowships in nephrology and transplant nephrology at the University of Michigan. He received his medical degree with A.O.A. distinction from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Patel is board-certified in internal medicine and nephrology and has served as principal investigator on multiple transplant research studies.
In Dr. Kandula’s new role as the Medical Director of the Living Donor Institute, he will lead New Jersey’s first and only Living Donor Institute. The nationally-recognized Living Donor Institute includes surgeons, transplant physicians, nurse coordinators, dietitians, social workers, assistants, and pharmacists. Dr. Kandula will work closely with this multidisciplinary team to perform and facilitate living donor kidney transplantation. Over the past decade, living donor kidney transplantation has become increasingly complex, given the medical comorbidities in the recipients and the multiple living donation options that are now available. Dr. Kandula has extensive experience in the evaluation of living donors. In his new position, he now will provide medical and administrative oversight of the Living Donor Institute and continue its efforts to help transplant candidates receive living donor kidney transplants whenever possible.
Dr. Kandula joined the Renal and Pancreas Transplant Division after completing a fellowship in transplant nephrology at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, and a fellowship in nephrology at Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN. Prior to that, he served as the co-medical director of the Transitional Care Unit at St. Johns Hospital, Springfield, IL. Dr. Kandula performed his residency and internship at Rochester General Hospital and received a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery at Rangaraya Medical College, India. Dr. Kandula is board certified in nephrology and is the author of multiple peer-reviewed medical articles.
For more information about our Renal and Pancreas Transplant Program at Saint Barnabas Medical Center please visit transplantkidney.org or call 1.888.409.4707.