University of California San Francisco

Minnie Sarwal, MD
Minnie
Sarwal
MD, PhD
Professor of Surgery, Medicine, Pediatrics
Professor (Adj), Stanford University, UC Berkeley
Director, Precision Transplant Medicine, UCSF
Co-Director, T32 Training Grant, Transplant Surgery, UCSF

Address

505 Parnassus Avenue, #M893D
San Francisco, CA 94117
United States

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 415-353-4043

    Biography

    Minnie M. Sarwal M.D., Ph.D., FRCP, DCH is Professor in Residence, Department of Surgery, Division of Transplant Surgery, Co-Director of the Pancreas Kidney Transplant Program, Director of the Precision Transplant Medicine, Sarwal Lab at UCSF. Sarwal is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in the fields of renal and transplant medicine, genomics, proteomics and immunology. The Sarwal Lab supported precision and predictive diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for organ transplant recipients by discovering new treatments and investigative approaches using in vitro, CRISPR-Cas9, and animal KO models relevant to kidney disease, FSGS and transplant rejection. Sarwal was Professor of Surgery, Pediatrics and Immunology at Stanford University, Medical Director of the Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program at Lucille Packard Children's Hospital and Director of the Sarwal Lab for 16 years prior to joining UCSF in 2014.

    Sarwal received her M.D. from Calcutta Medical College in India, completed her residency in the UK, and a fellowship in Pediatric Nephrology at Guy's Hospital, London, UK. She earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from Cambridge University (Christ's College) where she worked with Nobel Laureate Sydney Brenner on the synthetic mapping of human and puffer fish G proteins. Sarwal also holds a Diploma in Child Health from London, UK, and degrees from the Royal College of Physicians, UK (MRCP) and is an elected Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, UK in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the field of medicine. Sarwal is a member of numerous national and international societies including the ASN, IPTA, AST, TTS, and IPNA. She is Chief Editor, Frontiers in Nephrology (a nature journal), AE for Clinical Transplantation and has published in and served as AE/reviewer for many other scientific journals inclusive of the Nature Medicine, NEJM, AJT, Nature Communications, PNAS, Journal of Immunology and Journal of Experimental Medicine.

    Sarwal has also been the recipient of numerous awards and distinctions, including the Order of Excellence in Scientific Research (Cambridge, UK, 2002), the Dean's Teaching Award (2005), the Junior Faculty Award from the CCIS (2003-6), recognized Key Opinion Leader in Organ Transplantation by the Transplantation Society (2007-2009), elected Senator at Large for the Stanford Faculty Senate (2005-10), Faculty Senate UCSF (2015-17), the TTS-Roche Award for Outstanding Achievement Transplantation Science (Clinical; 2010), and the Cunio Richardson NKF Award for Scientific Excellence (2012). She also serves on the FDA Science Board for her third term, and is current Chair of the NIH-SBIR review study section and is Chair of the Department of Defense, Tissue Transplantation section. She is also a successful entrepreneur scientist and a founding member of the Rosenman Institute at UCSF.

    Videos

    Education

    Education

    La Martiniere, Calcutta, India, English Language and Literature, I.S.C.,1981

    Calcutta Medical College, Calcutta, India, M.D.,1985

    Diploma in Child Health (D.C.H.), London, UK, with distinction 1989

    Cambridge University, U.K, Ph.D.,1995

     

    Residencies

    Residency (Medicine and Surgery), Calcutta Medical College, India, 06/1986-06/1987

    Senior House Officer (Pediatrics and Surgery), Calcutta Medical College, India. Advisors: Sir Keith Peters, Sir Cyril Chantler and Sydney Brenner, 06/1987-02/1988

    Senior House Officer, General Pediatrics & Neonates, Good Hope Hospital, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, UK, 02/-07/1989

    Senior House Officer, General Pediatrics & Neonates, Grantham and Kesteven Hospital, Granthan (GKGH), UK, 03/1988-02/1989

    Senior House Officer, Neonatology, Leicester Royal Infirmary (LRI), Leicester, UK, 08/-11/1989

    Senior House Officer, General Pediatrics & Neonates, Leicester General Hosp. (LGH), Leicester, UK, 12/89- 03/90

    Registrar, Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgical Unit, Groby Road Hospital, (GRH), Leicester, UK, 04/90-07/90

    Senior House Officer, Pediatric Nephrology Unit, Guy's Hospital, London, UK, 08/90-10/90

    Lecturer/Registrar, Pediatric Unit, Guy's Hospital, London, UK, 10/90-09/91

    Lecturer/Senior Registrar,  Pediatric Nephrology, Dept. of Pediatrics, Guy's Hospital, London, U.K., 10/92-07/95

    Clinical Expertise

    Acute Kidney Failure
    Chronic Kidney Disease
    End-Stage Renal Disease
    Kidney Transplant Clinical Trials
    Pediatric Bone and Mineral Disorders
    Pediatric Kidney Transplantation
    Pediatric Transplant Nephrology
    Transplant Immunology
    Oxalosis
    Methylmalonic acidemia
    Cystinosis

    Clinical Trials

    1. Related Conditions: COVID-19, Acute Kidney Injury, Kidney Injury, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome| Start Date: | End Date:

    Program Affiliations

    UCSF Biomedical Sciences (BMS) Program

    Associate Member, UCSF Liver Center

    Grants and Funding

    • Filling a Void of Research (FAVOR) Training for Transplant Surgeons | NIH | 2016-08-01 - 2026-07-31 | Role: Co-Principal Investigator
    • Mapping Immune Responses to CMV in Renal Transplant Recipients | NIH | 2017-08-01 - 2022-07-31 | Role: Co-Principal Investigator
    • CD40 autoantibody and FSGS recurrence | NIH | 2017-04-01 - 2022-03-31 | Role: Principal Investigator
    • Drug Repositioning in Diabetic Nephropathy | NIH | 2016-09-01 - 2020-07-31 | Role: Principal Investigator
    • Transplant injury biology and monitoring by urine proteomics | NIH | 2009-07-01 - 2016-08-31 | Role: Principal Investigator
    • Urinary Proteome Monitoring for Transplant Injury | NIH | 2010-08-23 - 2015-09-19 | Role: Principal Investigator
    • Gene and Cytokine Expression in Tolerance and GVHD | NIH | 2009-09-25 - 2014-08-31 | Role: Co-Principal Investigator
    • A Proteomics Research Resource for Integrative Biology | NIH | 2003-09-15 - 2013-06-30 | Role: Co-Investigator
    • General Clinical Research Center | NIH | 1978-12-01 - 2011-11-30 | Role: Co-Investigator
    • Novel Urinary Proteomic Biomarkers for Acute Renal Transplant Rejection | NIH | 2009-06-01 - 2011-05-31 | Role: Principal Investigator
    • Defining Biomarkers in Pediatric Renal Transplantation | NIH | 2004-06-01 - 2009-05-31 | Role: Principal Investigator

    Research Narrative

    As principal Investigator on numerous multicenter clinical trials, both industry and institutional, Sarwal has developed extensive expertise in the design and execution of clinical studies. While at Stanford, Sarwal conducted the first successful U.S. steroid avoidance trial and the first dosing safety trial for Rituximab in pediatric renal transplantation.

    In 2009, Sarwal founded, Organ-i, a Stanford University spin-out to develop and commercialize her pioneering work. Organ-i leveraged 15 years of research and over $20M in NIH grants. The company's goal is to improve the clinical management of transplant patients globally by commericializing non-invasive tests to monitor and predict organ health for transplant recipients.

    Sarwal is credited with the introduction of (k-SORT), a Kidney Solid Organ Rejection Test, the company's lead product, as well as a pipeline of molecular assays focused on post-transplant rejection monitoring and allograft tolerance. In June 2014. Immucor, Inc., a global leader in transfusion and transplantation diagnostics, announced the acquisition of Organ-i and retained Sarwal as a scientific advisory role to advance the Organ-i pipeline.

    Research Interests

    Organ diseases

    Transplant immunobiology of rejection and tolerance

    Genomics

    Proteomics

    Antibiomics

    Metabolomics

    GVHD

    Hepatitis B, C and HIV

    Publications

    MOST RECENT PUBLICATIONS FROM A TOTAL OF 255
    1. Natural Killer Cell Phenotypes and Clinical Outcomes in Pediatric Kidney Transplantation.
      Kahan RH, Abraham N, Lee HJ, Ettenger RB, Grimm PC, Reed EF, Reeves RK, Sarwal MM, Stempora LL, Warshaw BL, Kirk AD, Martinez OM, Chambers ET| | PubMed
    2. Gene expression-based molecular scoring of pancreas transplant rejection for a quantitative assessment of rejection severity and resistance to treatment.
      Brown AE, Kelly YM, Zarinsefat A, Meier RPH, Worner G, Tavakol M, Sarwal MM, Laszik ZG, Stock PG, Sigdel TK| | PubMed
    3. Organ Donation and Transplantation Registries Across the Globe: A Review of the Current State.
      Rampersad C, Ahn C, Callaghan C, Dominguez-Gil B, Ferreira GF, Kute V, Rahmel AO, Sarwal M, Snyder J, Wang H, Wong G, Kim SJ, Global Data Harmonization Committee of the Transplantation Society| | PubMed
    4. The Banff 2022 Kidney Meeting Work Plan: Data-driven refinement of the Banff Classification for renal allografts.
      Roufosse C, Naesens M, Haas M, Lefaucheur C, Mannon RB, Afrouzian M, Alachkar N, Aubert O, Bagnasco SM, Batal I, Bellamy COC, Broecker V, Budde K, Clahsen-Van Groningen M, Coley SM, Cornell LD, Dadhania D, Demetris AJ, Einecke G, Farris AB, Fogo AB, Friedewald J, Gibson IW, Horsfield C, Huang E, Husain SA, Jackson AM, Kers J, Kikic Ž, Klein A, Kozakowski N, Liapis H, Mangiola M, Montgomery RA, Nankinvell B, Neil DAH, Nickerson P, Rabant M, Randhawa P, Riella LV, Rosales I, Royal V, Sapir-Pichhadze R, Sarder P, Sarwal M, Schinstock C, Stegall M, Solez K, van der Laak J, Wiebe C, Colvin RB, Loupy A, Mengel M| | PubMed
    5. Proteome Analysis for Inflammation Related to Acute and Convalescent Infection.
      Sigdel TK, Sur S, Boada P, McDermott SM, Arlehamn CSL, Murray KO, Bockenstedt LK, Kerwin M, Reed EF, Harris E, Stuart K, Peters B, Sesma A, Montgomery RR, Sarwal MM| | PubMed
    6. Urine trumps the protocol biopsy for subclinical rejection surveillance.
      Sarwal MM, Naesens M| | PubMed
    7. Transcriptional and spatial profiling of the kidney allograft unravels a central role for FcyRIII+ innate immune cells in rejection.
      Lamarthée B, Callemeyn J, Van Herck Y, Antoranz A, Anglicheau D, Boada P, Becker JU, Debyser T, De Smet F, De Vusser K, Eloudzeri M, Franken A, Gwinner W, Koshy P, Kuypers D, Lambrechts D, Marquet P, Mathias V, Rabant M, Sarwal MM, Senev A, Sigdel TK, Sprangers B, Thaunat O, Tinel C, Van Brussel T, Van Craenenbroeck A, Van Loon E, Vaulet T, Bosisio F, Naesens M| | PubMed
    8. Plasma proteome perturbation for CMV DNAemia in kidney transplantation.
      Sigdel TK, Boada P, Kerwin M, Rashmi P, Gjertson D, Rossetti M, Sur S, Munar D, Cimino J, Ahn R, Pickering H, Sen S, Parmar R, Fatou B, Steen H, Schaenman J, Bunnapradist S, Reed EF, Sarwal MM, CMV Systems Immunobiology Group| | PubMed
    9. Perturbations in podocyte transcriptome and biological pathways induced by FSGS associated circulating factors.
      Rashmi P, Sigdel TK, Rychkov D, Damm I, Da Silva AA, Vincenti F, Lourenco AL, Craik CS, Reiser J, Sarwal MM| | PubMed
    10. Longitudinal serum proteomics analyses identify unique and overlapping host response pathways in Lyme disease and West Nile virus infection.
      Boada P, Fatou B, Belperron AA, Sigdel TK, Smolen KK, Wurie Z, Levy O, Ronca SE, Murray KO, Liberto JM, Rashmi P, Kerwin M, Montgomery RR, Bockenstedt LK, Steen H, Sarwal MM| | PubMed