John F. Renz
John F. Renz, a member of the first surgical team to ever perform a combined heart-liver transplant in the New York area, has joined The University of Arizona's department of surgery.
Renz recently was named professor of surgery and vice chief of the Section of Transplantation. He comes to the UA from the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, where he served as surgical director for the Liver Transplantation Program at the Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation.
Renz is a pioneer in “extended criteria” transplantation, or the use of organs that don't meet the usual criteria for transplantation due to various health problems, but are still healthy enough for a successful transplant. He proved that regular and extended donor criteria liver recipients have acceptable survival rates, and extended donor criteria is able to increase the access to liver transplantation.
One of his priorities at the UA will be to expand the liver transplant program.
"My goals include increasing the number of whole organ transplants in adults and children, and adding a living-donor liver transplant program," Renz said.
In addition to liver transplantation, Renz specializes in kidney and intestinal transplants.
“Dr. Renz's pioneering work in developing effective ways to help people with organ failure will add a new dimension to our liver transplant program," said Rainer Gruessner, chief of abdominal transplantation and chairman of the UA department of surgery. “I am confident that under his leadership, the transplant program at University Medical Center will grow in national prominence in research and patient care.”
Renz's research focuses on the development of hepatocellular carcinoma, investigations into expanded donor criteria allografts and experimental therapies involving liver and intestinal transplantation in adults and children. his clinical studies involve basic mechanisms in liver transplantation.
A member of a dozen national and international professional associations, Renz has published more than 60 journal articles and book chapters.
Renz received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College, and his doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biology from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Both his internship and residency were completed in general surgery at University of California, San Francisco. He completed a fellowship in transplantation surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Renz’s wife, Geraldine Renz, is joining the UA department of anesthesia as a much-needed transplant anesthesiologist, who will further strengthen UMC’s transplant program, Gruessner added.
UMC is the most comprehensive solid organ transplant program in Arizona, performing transplants for heart, lung, kidney, liver and pancreas.
Jo Marie Gellerman
520-626-7219