Kim F. Duncan

Kim F. Duncan, MD, FACS is a Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), affiliated with the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery. He also serves as the Medical Director of the Clinical Perfusion Program within the College of Allied Health Professions. With over 35 years of experience in congenital heart surgery, Dr. Duncan has been primarily based at UNMC and Children's Nebraska in Omaha. He is semi-retired from clinical surgery but remains active in surgical education, surgical simulation training for medical students, residents, fellows, and clinical perfusion students. His research focuses on expanding the donor organ pool via donation after circulatory death (DCD), improving donor organ recovery through normothermic reperfusion, and adjuvant organ preservation techniques for heart, liver, and kidney transplantation.

Education and Training: Dr. Duncan earned his MD from the University of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada). He completed residencies in General Surgery, Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery, and a Medical Research Institute residency at the University of Alberta Hospitals. His fellowships include roles at Great Ormond Street Hospital (London, UK) and the Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto, Canada). He holds certifications from the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Research Interests: His translational research emphasizes organ preservation strategies, particularly for DCD donors, with expertise in normothermic machine perfusion and adjuvant therapies to enhance organ viability. He collaborates on projects optimizing donor organ recovery and addressing challenges in multi-organ transplantation.

Publications and Contributions: Dr. Duncan has authored over 40 peer-reviewed manuscripts and two book chapters, focusing on congenital heart surgery outcomes, Fontan procedure results, and organ transplantation advancements. His work bridges surgical innovation with clinical education, influencing training programs in cardiothoracic surgery and perfusion.

Labs and Teams: Active in the Clinical Perfusion Program, he mentors students in advanced perfusion techniques and surgical simulation. Collaborates with multidisciplinary teams in organ transplantation and surgical research initiatives.