Nancy L. Ascher

Dr. Nancy L. Ascher is a Professor of Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine. She serves as a transplant surgeon at the UCSF Kidney Transplant Center and has held leadership roles such as Clinical Director of the Liver Transplant Program at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Ascher is a past president of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons and President-elect of The Transplantation Society.

• Education: MD and PhD from the University of Michigan (1974), Residency in General Surgery (1981), Fellowship in Transplant Surgery (1982)
• Professional Affiliations: Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, member of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, and numerous other surgical and transplant societies

Dr. Ascher's research focuses on organ transplantation (liver and kidney), ethical standards in donation, disparities in transplant access, and innovative surgical techniques. Her work includes guidelines for small-for-size syndrome in living donor liver transplants and advocacy against unethical global transplant practices.

Recent publications analyze legislative impacts on organ donation, equitable access to transplants, and complications in liver grafts. She has led NIH-funded studies on liver allograft responses and lymphocyte migration in transplants.

Scientific Awards:

• Fellow of the American College of Surgeons
• Past President, American Society of Transplant Surgeons
• President-elect, The Transplantation Society

Dr. Ascher has been a pioneer in living donor liver transplantation and organ donation policy reform. She has served on high-level task forces including the Presidential Task Force on Organ Transplantation and the Surgeon General's Task Force. Her work bridges clinical practice, research, and global health advocacy.