Alan Zambeli-Ljepovic

Alan Zambeli-Ljepovic, MD, MHS is a surgical resident and Research Fellow at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine. He holds dual appointments through the National Clinician Scholars Program and the UCSF Center for Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia, reflecting his integrated focus on clinical training and health equity research in surgical care.

Dr. Zambeli-Ljepovic's educational foundation includes:

• BS in Biomedical Engineering from Columbia University (2014)
• MD from Duke University School of Medicine (2020)
• MHS in Clinical Research from Duke University (2019)

His research program bridges global surgery, transplant medicine, and health equity with particular emphasis on expanding access to quality surgical care in resource-limited settings. Early work established the first biomedical engineering collaboration between Makerere University (Kampala, Uganda) and Columbia University, focusing on sustainable medical device development. His current research leadership involves multinational teams of transplant professionals and health economists generating evidence to guide ethical expansion of kidney transplantation services in low- and middle-income countries. His international perspective is enhanced by fluency in Croatian/Serbian and Spanish, and his background as a native of Croatia.

Analysis of Dr. Zambeli-Ljepovic's publication trajectory reveals increasing specialization in global transplant surgery and health equity research. His recent work demonstrates methodological sophistication in health services research, implementation science, and cross-national comparative analysis. Key themes include surgical workforce development in Africa, precision medicine approaches to immunosuppression, and evidence generation for expanding transplant services in resource-constrained environments. His research consistently addresses the intersection of clinical care, health policy, and economic evaluation to create practical frameworks for equitable surgical service expansion.

His scholarly recognition includes:

• National Clinician Scholars Program Fellowship
• UCSF Center for Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia Fellowship
• Research funding through NIH UL1TR002553 (Duke CTSA)
• Research funding through NIH R25HL126146 (UCSF RISE-2)

As a clinician-scientist in training, Dr. Zambeli-Ljepovic leads multinational research initiatives while maintaining clinical responsibilities as a general surgery resident. His grant-funded work focuses on expanding pediatric surgical risk calculators in low-resource settings and developing evidence for kidney transplant expansion. Beyond formal research mentorship, he co-founded the Buck Fellows Program mentoring local high school students through college applications. His translational approach connects clinical observations with health systems research to address structural barriers in surgical care access.

Dr. Zambeli-Ljepovic's collaborative ecosystem spans multiple institutions and disciplines. His primary research home is the UCSF Center for Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia, where he works with health economists, transplant surgeons, and implementation scientists. International partnerships include Ugandan institutions through the Makerere-Columbia collaboration he established during undergraduate studies. His current projects integrate clinical expertise with health policy analysis to develop practical frameworks for expanding transplant services ethically in resource-limited settings, addressing both technical and systemic barriers to equitable care.