Martin S. Zand

Martin S. Zand, M.D., Ph.D. is Professor of Medicine and Medical Humanities in the Division of Nephrology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. He holds multiple leadership positions including Co-Director of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Co-Director of The Center for Leading Innovation and Collaboration, and Director of the Rochester Center for Health Informatics. His clinical practice focuses on kidney transplant patients with an emphasis on holistic care of the whole person.

Dr. Zand's research spans two primary areas: understanding how B cells respond to vaccines and organ transplants to produce antibodies, and using graph theory to improve population health and healthcare delivery. His laboratory studies B cell differentiation and antibody production using innovative mathematical modeling and statistical analyses of complex experimental data. His work often involves daily analysis of gene expression and cellular phenotypes from single subjects over 5-10 days after vaccination.

His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on computational immunology, vaccine responses in immunocompromised patients, and health informatics applications. The research shows consistent application of mathematical modeling approaches across diverse areas including SARS-CoV-2 immunity, kidney transplant outcomes, and B cell biology. His work frequently involves multi-institutional collaborations and has significant implications for improving vaccine responses and preventing transplant rejection.

• Technology Innovation Award - Cleveland Clinic (2006)
• American Society of Transplant Physicians Young Investigator Award (1998)
• Selected Participant-Woods Hole Marine Biology Laboratory (1986)
• Northwestern University Medical Scientist Training Program Scholarship (1985)
• Honors Program in Medical Education Scholarship (1981-1992)

Dr. Zand leads multiple NIH-funded research projects including the University of Rochester Clinical & Translational Science Institute and studies on Modeling Immune Desensitization in Renal Transplantation. His laboratory uses high dimensional clustering methods, graph theory, differential equation and stochastic branching process modeling to investigate B cell responses. The Rochester Center for Health Informatics, which he directs, uses network theory to investigate connections between healthcare factors and socio-economic status to improve population health.