"Living donation is the gift of a lifetime because a kidney from a living donor often lasts longer than a kidney from a deceased donor." Dr. Dixon Kaufman, professor and Director of the @uwhealth.bsky.social Transplant Center, discusses the Living Donor Initiative. go.wisc.edu/9717hz

Congratulations to Bailey Donahue (research specialist), Betsy Golomski (GME Program Manager) and Rick Ziegler (CFO) for winning our 2025 staff awards! #ExceptionalPeople

Read about the groundbreaking clinical trial that was made possible by Dr. Dixon Kaufman, our Office of Clinical Research, and our whole kidney team and patients. #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults

Congratulations to Dr. Gretchen Schwarze, professor in the Division of Vascular Surgery, for receiving the UW School of Medicine and Public Health Group on Women in Medicine and Science Impact Award. #ExceptionalPeople go.wisc.edu/0o3fq6

Congratulations to Connie Chamberlain, PhD, principal scientist in Dr. Jon Odorico's Lab, for receiving a one-year, $50,000 Translational Basic & Clinical Research Pilot Award from the UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (@uw-ictr.bsky.social). go.wisc.edu/l0q28e

Every month, our faculty and staff engage in remarkable research that yields many impactful publications. We are highlighting several of these publications in our Research Roundup series. See the September and October edition: go.wisc.edu/7uw31b #ExtraordinaryResults

Dr. Elise Lawson, associate professor in the Division of Colorectal Surgery, recently completed her term as President of the Wisconsin Surgical Society. She concluded her presidency by giving a Presidential Address at the WSS 2025 Annual Conference. go.wisc.edu/fil4xh

The DOS Book Club had such a great time discussing the 2025 @uwmadison.bsky.social Go Big Read book, "James" by Percival Everett.

Apply to the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Advanced GI MIS/Bariatrics/Foregut & Advanced GI MIS/Hernia and Abdominal Wall Fellowships! Applications open today, Dec. 1, at 5 PM Pacific via The Fellowship Council. go.wisc.edu/7pe0au

Approximately 573,000 adults in Wisconsin have diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes. Drs. David Harris and Jon Odorico are researching ways to tackle diabetes, from altering the body’s chemicals to generating insulin-producing beta cells. #ExceptionalPeople go.wisc.edu/76fv96

@mebrown4.bsky.social explores the nexus of PSC biology and immunology and investigates the mechanisms underpinning the immune response to PSC-derived cell therapies. #WARF100 @uwchancellor.bsky.social @wiscsurgery.bsky.social https://www.warf.org/commercialize/uw-madison-inventor-profiles/brown/

Congratulations to Cynthia Kelm-Nelson, PhD, Director of Biological Sciences and senior scientist III in the Department of Surgery, for receiving the UW School of Medicine and Public Health Dean's Research Staff Award. #ExceptionalPeople go.wisc.edu/4ld59b Photo courtesy of Media Solutions

Muhammed Murtaza's research team developed an approach for analyzing cancer DNA from blood spot samples that could allow collection of samples in clinic or at home. #WARF100 @uwchancellor.bsky.social @wiscsurgery.bsky.social https://www.warf.org/commercialize/uw-madison-inventor-profiles/murtaza/

Earlier this month, Dr. Paul DiMusto, associate professor in the Division of Vascular Surgery, Dr. Alyssa Wiener, vascular surgery fellow, and Dr. Jack Bontekoe, vascular surgery resident, attended the APEX-VS course hosted at St. Louis University.

A @uwhealth.bsky.social story shares the importance of early detection for lung cancer. Last year, Dr. Andrea Axtell performed a life-saving procedure on a patient whose lung cancer was detected early. #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults go.wisc.edu/wqo9g3

Dr. Saad Sahi joins us as an assistant professor in the Division of Acute Care and Regional General Surgery. He completed fellowships in Surgical Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Welcome, Dr. Sahi!

Earlier this fall, Dr. Kristin Long, Vice Chair of Global Surgery, and Dr. Clayton Marcinak, general surgery resident, helped develop and present at the ACS H.O.P.E. Surgical Education Workshop in Hawassa, Ethiopia. #ExceptionalPeople go.wisc.edu/m5w0a2

Congratulations to Dr. Jennifer Philip, assistant professor in the Division of Transplantation, for receiving a two-year, $150,000 New Investigator Award from the Wisconsin Partnership Program. #ExceptionalPeople go.wisc.edu/69cpfr

Dr. Lacey Stelle, assistant professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology, shares about the impact of a generous gift to the Margaret M. Rudolph Endowment Fund on cancer patients at the @uwhealth.bsky.social SwedishAmerican Hospital. go.wisc.edu/96c1e7

Be sure to tune in on Tuesday, Dec. 2 to hear Dr. Kaitlyn Kelly, associate professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology, present at a webinar titled "Hereditary Gastrointestinal Cancers: Expansion of NCCN Recommendations." Register: go.wisc.edu/s69662

Congratulations to Dr. David Harris, assistant professor in @wiscsurgerymis.bsky.social, for receiving a Vilas Faculty Early-Career Investigator Award! @wiscosurgicalmetab.bsky.social #ExceptionalPeople go.wisc.edu/0ooy91

Dr. Louise Davies joins UW-Madison as a professor jointly appointed in the Division of Endocrine Surgery and in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Her clinical practice focus is thyroid and parathyroid disease and cancers of the head and neck. Welcome, Dr. Davies!

November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and our surgeons are helping give patients a second chance at life. A @uwhealth.bsky.social story shares how Dr. Sharon Weber, Chair of the Division of Surgical Oncology, performed a life-saving procedure on a patient. go.wisc.edu/107wv9

The 2025 U.S. News & World Reports survey ranks @uwhealth.bsky.social Kids and American Family Children's Hospital in the top 50 hospitals for Pediatric Cardiology & Heart Surgery. Congratulations to Drs. Petros Anagnostopoulos and Joshua Hermsen for their involvement in this achievement!

Our residents had a great time at the Wisconsin Surgical Society annual meeting last week! Dr. Kate Lauer won best video abstract, Dr. Sydney Tan won best poster presentation, and Drs. Kate Lauer, Cori Praska, and Steven Morrison won this year's Top Gun skills competition.

Apply to the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship! Complex General Surgical Oncology Applications via ERAS open on November 12, 2025. SSO Website: go.wisc.edu/23w17c ERAS Website: go.wisc.edu/z56316

Today we honor all those who have served. Thank you for your dedication, sacrifice and service to our country.

November is Stomach Cancer Awareness Month. Our surgeons in the Division of Surgical Oncology help provide care to those diagnosed with stomach cancer. Learn more: go.wisc.edu/i6vu17

Cancer is a growing problem for low- and middle-income countries. Drs. Syed Nabeel Zafar and Muhammad Murtaza are using their cancer research to make an impact abroad. #ExceptionalPeople go.wisc.edu/5vx6yl

It's Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and our surgeons are helping move pancreatic cancer prevention and treatment forward. A @uwhealth.bsky.social story shares how our faculty helped give a family nearly five extra years with their dad after his original diagnosis. go.wisc.edu/053nrv

Congratulations to Dr. Courtney Balentine, associate professor in the Division of Endocrine Surgery, for being named the Executive Director of WiSOR and the Director of Data Science. #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults go.wisc.edu/77char

Congratulations to Dr. Aaron Dingle for being promoted to an assistant professor in the Division of Plastic Surgery! Dr. Dingle is a scientist and educator whose work focuses on advancing research in regenerative medicine, transplantation and neuroprosthetics.

Dr. Ashley Krepline returns to UW-Madison as a clinical assistant professor in the Division of Transplantation. She completed her Abdominal Transplant Surgery Fellowship in our department earlier this year. Welcome back, Dr. Krepline!

This Native November, UW-Madison is embracing the theme "Live the Teachings as We Are Meant To." The theme calls us to remember that ancestral knowledge is not only to be told, it's to be lived. Learn more about Native November on campus: www.wisc.edu/native-novem... #UWNativeNovember

Wrapping up Breast Cancer Awareness Month, surgeons and researchers at Wisconsin Surgery share about the ground-breaking research they are conducting to improve breast cancer outcomes. #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults go.wisc.edu/b56peb

We hope you have a safe and happy Halloween!

Dr. Ethan MacKenzie returns to Wisconsin Surgery as an assistant professor in the Division of Plastic Surgery. He completed his plastic surgery residency with our department in 2024 and recently completed a microsurgery fellowship at The Ohio State University. Welcome back, Dr. MacKenzie!

Congratulations to Dr. Kevin Wasco, our 2025 Forward Award winner! This award, presented by the Layton Rikkers Surgical Society, recognizes outstanding alumni contributions by our current or former residents, faculty and fellows. #ExceptionalPeople go.wisc.edu/93w408

The @uwhealth.bsky.social Transplant Center is celebrating its 1,000th lung transplant. Dr. James Maloney, professor in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, led the team that performed the transplant surgery. #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults go.wisc.edu/549359

Congratulations to Dr. Jasmine Craig, plastic surgery resident, for winning the ASPS Inventors Challenge with the support of medical student Nada Botros and under the guidance of Dr. Daniel Cho as the PI. #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults go.wisc.edu/89z255

We are excited for Dr. Alexandra Onyiego to join us as the Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellow starting in the summer of 2026!

On Monday, Wisconsin Surgery faculty shared their passion for surgery with medical students at our Surgery Interest Group Student-Faculty Mixer. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped organize this event!

We had such a great time hosting the 2025 Midwest Burn Conference in September! Thank you to everyone who made this event a success. #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults

Congratulations to Dr. Palca Shibale, general surgery resident, for receiving the KARL STORZ Resident Research Scholar Award from the Society of University Surgeons! #ExceptionalPeople Read more: go.wisc.edu/314gl6

Dr. Nikole Neidlinger, associate professor in the Division of Transplantation, joined WUWM 89.7 - Milwaukee's NPR to counter misinformation and share the benefits of becoming an organ donor. Listen here: go.wisc.edu/iymnwh

Congratulations to Dr. Margaret "Gretchen" Schwarze, professor in the Division of Vascular Surgery, for being elected as a member of the National Academy of Medicine! #ExceptionalPeople #ExtraordinaryResults go.wisc.edu/6cmr24

Wishing all those who celebrate a joyful and bright Diwali!

Earlier this month, we hosted an investiture ceremony to celebrate Dr. Rebecca Sippel being named the Dr. Herb Chen Professor in Endocrine Surgery. Thank you to our generous donors and friends that made this professorship possible! #ExceptionalPeople go.wisc.edu/d5lfzk

Congratulations to Dr. Matthew Brown (@mebrown4.bsky.social), assistant professor in the Division of Transplantation, for receiving a four-year, $2.9 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. #ExceptionalPeople go.wisc.edu/q49v6x

Congratulations to Dr. Joshua Hermsen for being accepted into the Congenital Heart Surgeons' Society! Dr. Hermsen is an associate professor in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery and a @uwhealth.bsky.social Kids pediatric cardiac surgeon. #ExceptionalPeople