Roberto Hernandez Alejandro

Dr. Roberto Hernandez-Alejandro serves as Professor in the Department of Surgery, Transplant at the University of Rochester Medical Center, where he has been Chief of the Division of Transplantation since August 2016. Under his leadership, the program doubled organ transplant volume while achieving the best outcomes in its history, including restarting live donor liver transplants with 60 operations over five years and expanding opportunities through increased use of donation after cardiac death organs. He pioneered North America's leading center for liver transplantation for unresectable colorectal liver metastases.

• MD from Universidad de La Salle (Mexico)
• General Surgery Residency at Mexican Institute of Social Security (1997-2001)
• Transplant Surgery Fellowships at University Hospital (Canada) and Foothills Medical Center, University of Calgary (2003-2008)

Dr. Hernandez-Alejandro's research focuses on advancing liver transplantation for complex oncological indications, particularly colorectal liver metastases and hepatocellular carcinoma. His work bridges surgical innovation with translational research in liver regeneration, immunosuppression management, and novel biomarkers for transplant oncology. He has developed the Rochester Protocol for living donor liver transplantation of unresectable colorectal liver metastases and pioneered the ALPPS procedure for challenging hepatic resections. His laboratory investigates mucosal-associated invariant T cells in hepatic metastases and strategies to attenuate cancer recurrence post-transplant.

His publication portfolio shows a clear trajectory toward expanding transplant oncology boundaries, with recent emphasis on liquid biopsy applications, metabolic tumor volume prediction, neoadjuvant targeted therapies for cholangiocarcinoma, and socioeconomic factors affecting transplant outcomes. The work demonstrates increasing multicenter collaboration and methodological sophistication in transplant oncology research.

• REAL Advancing in Liver Transplantation Award (2023)
• Latin American Leadership Award (2016)
• President's Award for Innovation (2015)
• Distinguished Fellow for Outstanding Research in Transplantation (2008)
• Multiple Clinical Abstract Awards (2006-2013)

As editorial board member of Annals of Surgery and leadership roles in the ALPPS Registry Scientific Committee, ILTS Education Committee, and New York Liver Transplant Consortium, Dr. Hernandez-Alejandro significantly influences transplant education and practice guidelines. His mentorship has been recognized through Resident Mentor Awards and Rising Star Mentoring honors. He serves on committees shaping national transplant policy and has secured multiple grants for innovative liver cancer and regeneration research.

The Transplantation Division under his leadership has established specialized programs including living donor liver transplantation for oncologic indications, ALPPS procedures for complex hepatectomies, and protocols for liver transplantation in unresectable colorectal metastases. The division collaborates with multidisciplinary teams including medical oncology, radiology, and pathology to advance transplant oncology standards.