Nancy Ascher

Dr. Nancy Ascher is a renowned academic and clinical leader in organ transplantation, affiliated with the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). She earned her medical degree from the University of Michigan and completed a general surgery residency and clinical transplant fellowship at the University of Minnesota, where she later joined the faculty as Clinical Director of the liver transplant program. Her career spans pivotal roles in national and international transplant policy, including the Presidential Task Force on Organ Transplantation and the Secretary of Health and Human Services Advisory Committee on Organ Transplantation.

• University of Michigan, Ann Arbor: MD (Medical Degree)
• University of Minnesota: General Surgery Residency (1981), Transplant Surgery Fellowship (1982)

Her research focuses on liver transplantation, small-for-size syndrome, health disparities, and ethical frameworks in organ donation. She has contributed to consensus guidelines for living donor liver transplantation and addressed systemic challenges in global transplantation equity. Her work integrates clinical innovation, policy advocacy, and multidisciplinary collaboration.

Recent articles emphasize improving patient access to transplantation, diagnosing post-transplant complications, and ethical debates in organ donor compensation. These publications highlight her leadership in advancing clinical protocols and equity frameworks for liver transplantation and donation.

• Fellow of the American College of Surgeons
• Former President of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons

She has secured significant NIH funding for studies on liver allograft responses and transplant outcomes. Her collaborations span institutions and disciplines, including the ILTS-iLDLT-LTSI Consensus Conference and global task forces on donation ethics.