Peter Reese, MD, PhD

Peter Reese, MD, PhD, is the inaugural director of the Vanderbilt Center for Transplant Science. He is a transplant nephrologist, epidemiologist, ethicist and clinical trialist. He is recognized for pioneering research in organ transplantation, including groundbreaking trials on transplanting organs from hepatitis C-positive donors and advancing fair and efficient approaches to organ allocation. He is former chair of the Ethics Committee for the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). He runs the Solid Organ Transplant Epidemiology Ethics and Policy Lab (www.thesteeplab.org). Dr. Reese has a track record of energetic support for talented and motivated young researchers at all stages of training, many of whom now direct their own independent research programs.

Reese holds a medical degree from Johns Hopkins University, a Master’s and PhD in Epidemiology, and completed fellowships at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the University of Pennsylvania. His accolades include the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), presented by the Office of Science and Technology Policy on behalf of the White House. More recently, he was elected to the American Society of Clinical Investigation.

At the VCTS, Reese leads efforts to tackle transplantation’s biggest challenges.