Mark Stegall, MD attended medical school at Columbia University, New York, NY, completed his residency in surgery and research fellowship at Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, and his fellowship in transplantation at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.
The major research goals of Mark D. Stegall, M.D., are to:
• Improve the long-term outcomes of kidney transplant recipients
• Develop new therapies to block the body from forming antibodies against the transplanted kidney
Dr. Stegall's research applies to all patients with kidney disease, including those with diabetes, polycystic kidney disease and high blood pressure. His basic science studies might also apply to patients with diseases of the immune system, including autoimmune disorders such as lupus. These studies apply to children and adults of all ethnic groups, but especially those with high rates of kidney disease, such as African-Americans and Native Americans.
His focus areas are late loss of kidney transplants and antibody barriers to kidney transplantation.
Significance to patient care:
The research of Dr. Stegall and his colleagues is significant because their two areas of focus are two of the major unsolved problems in transplantation. Improving long-term kidney graft survival would mean that patients would be less likely to need a second transplant during their lifetime and would lead healthier lives. Overcoming antibody barriers to transplantation would mean that successful kidney transplants could be provided to more people who need them.
Today, many patients with antibodies never receive a transplant because they can never find a kidney against which they have no antibodies. Their lives are shortened because they remain on dialysis, and they have a very poor quality of life. Dr. Stegall's hope is that every patient with kidney disease who requires a transplant will be able to receive a successful transplant that will last his or her entire life.