Dixon Kaufman, MD, PhD, FACS

Professor

  • Ray D. Owen Professor, Division of Transplantation
  • Director, UW Health Transplant Center

kaufman@surgery.wisc.edu
(608) 265-6471

Clinical Science Center
600 Highland Avenue
Madison WI 53792

Education

  • MD, University of Minnesota, 1983
  • NIH National Research Service Award, 1986 - 1989
  • Surgery Internship and Residency, University of Minnesota, 1983 - 1991
  • Transplantation Fellowship, University of Minnesota, 1991 - 1992
  • PhD, University of Minnesota, 1994

Honors

Castle Connolly America’s Top Doctors Surgery

Best Doctors in America Award Surgery, Transplantation

Madison Magazine Top Docs 2014 Award Surgery, Transplantation

Dr. Kaufman is involved with the following professional societies:

  • American Surgical Association
  • American Society of Transplant Surgeons
  • Association for Academic Surgery
  • Fellow, American College of Surgeons
  • Cell Transplant Society, Founding Member
  • Central Surgical Association
  • International Pancreas and Islet Association, Founding Member
  • Society of University Surgeons
  • The Surgical Biology Club I
  • Transplantation Society
Leadership Roles in Transplantation

Dr. Kaufman has held leadership positions in many facets of the transplant field. He has been very active with the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) and has served as Chair of the Education Committee, was the Executive Program Committee Chair for the American Transplant Congress, served on the Council of the ASTS, and was ASTS President. Dr. Kaufman is also very active with the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). He was past Chair of the Pancreas/Islet Transplant Committee, served on the MPSC Committee, served as Councilor of UNOS Region 7, and was a member of the Executive Board. Dr. Kaufman has also been associate editor for the American Journal of Transplantation, Transplantation Journal, and Clinical Transplantation Journal.

Clinical Specialties

Dr. Kaufman is certified by the American Board of Surgery in General Surgery. Dr Kaufman’s clinical focus has been on kidney, pancreas, and islet transplantation. He was the first pancreas transplant surgeon in North America to conduct and publish studies regarding steroid-free immunosuppression in pancreas transplantation, and the first to describe the use of alemtuzumab in pancreas transplants.

Research Interests

Dr. Kaufman’s experimental clinical research has focused on immunosuppression minimization in kidney transplant recipients, and human clinical trials of islet transplantation. His basic research efforts have focused on development of a tolerance induction protocol in large animals. It is supported by an NIH UO-1 award as part of the Non-human Primate Tolerance Study Group Consortium.

Recent Publications

  • Physician Preferences when Selecting Candidates for Lower-Quality Kidney Offers.
    Gonzalez Sepulveda JM, Mehrotra S, Yang JC, Schantz KJ, Becker Y, Formica R, Ladner DP, Kaufman D, Friedewald J
    Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2023 Sep 20;
    [PubMed ID: 37729938]

  • Analysis of Individual Components of Frailty in Simultaneous Pancreas and Kidney, and Solitary Pancreas Transplant Recipients.
    Parajuli S, Odorico J, Breyer I, Zona E, Aziz F, Lorden H, Garonzik-Wang J, Kaufman D, Mandelbrot D
    Transplant Direct 2023 Sep; 9(9): e1523
    [PubMed ID: 37649788]

  • A Randomized Controlled Trial of Envarsus Versus Immediate Release Tacrolimus in Kidney Transplant Recipients With Delayed Graft Function.
    Parajuli S, Muth B, Bloom M, Ptak L, Aufhauser D, Thiessen C, Al-Adra D, Mezrich J, Neidlinger N, Odorico J, Wang JG, Foley D, Kaufman D, Mandelbrot DA
    Transplant Proc 2023 Sep; 55(7): 1568-1574
    [PubMed ID: 37394382]

  • Helical TomoTherapy Total Lymphoid Irradiation and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Kidney Transplant Tolerance in Rhesus Macaques.
    Kaufman DB, Forrest LJ, Fechner J, Post J, Coonen J, Haynes LD, Haynes WJ, Christensen N, Zhong W, Little CJ, D'Alessandro A, Fernandez L, Brunner K, Jensen K, Burlingham WJ, Hematti P, Strober S
    Transpl Int 2023; 36: 11279
    [PubMed ID: 37426429]

  • Master protocol to assess the long-term safety in kidney transplant recipients who previously received Medeor's cellular immunotherapy products: the MDR-105-SAE.
    Kant S, Kaufman DB, Micsa L, Brennan DC
    Trials 2023 Mar 11; 24(1): 178
    [PubMed ID: 36899436]

All Publications on PubMed