Columbia Transplant Initiative
Building the Future of Transplant Together
Columbia Transplant Initiative
Building the Future of Transplant Together
Our Mission
As the Executive Director of the Columbia Transplant Initiative, I am thrilled to lead an effort that promises to transform the landscape of organ transplantation.
Our initiative seeks to integrate diverse transplant programs—liver, kidney, lung, and heart—under one cohesive umbrella.
By streamlining resources and consolidating our knowledge, we are poised to leverage the collective intelligence of our teams to elevate research, enhance educational offerings for emerging physicians, and ultimately provide the highest standard of care to our patients.
Our mission is clear: we aim to deliver robust research, top-notch education, and exemplary patient care, ensuring that every individual receives the best support throughout their transplant journey.
I am excited to embark on this transformative journey alongside our dedicated partners, patients, and future clinicians as we work together to build the future of transplant together.
Tom Kato, MD
Executive Director, Columbia Transplant Initiative
About Us
We aim to foster cross-organ collaboration and innovation through operational efficiency, research, education, and commitment to exceptional care.
We are building an integrated network of clinical, research, and supportive systems that advance the study and practice of transplantation, with a specific emphasis on:
- Integration between transplant types.
- Integration between laboratory science, bioinformatics, clinical science and practice.
- A data-informed environment that empowers excellence in patient care, fosters innovation, prioritizes patient safety, and advances clinical research and practice.
- Protocols, policies, and advocacy that improve access to care, while actively reducing disparities in access/treatment for end-stage organ disease and transplantation.
- Outreach and education efforts that inform patients, strengthen Columbia’s ties to the community, and train the next generation of leaders in transplantation.
- A core support structure for transplantation that is clearly delineated, integrated, standardized, and dynamic.
Clinical Programs
Educational Programs
Transplant Nephrology Fellowship
The one-year Columbia University Transplant Nephrology Fellowship provides advanced transplant training for those who have completed their ACGME general nephrology clinical training.
CTOR Fellowship
The Columbia Transplant Initiative Outcomes Research (CTOR) Fellowship is a one-year mentored research training program designed for motivated MD or DO trainees interested in a career in solid organ transplantation and outcomes research.
Transplant ID Fellowhip
The one-year Advanced Fellowship in Transplant Infectious Diseases (TID) provides exceptional clinical training and research mentorship from faculty at two prominent transplant centers in New York City.
Our Research
Lung Transplantation Clinical Trials and Studies
Learn more about lung transplantation clinical trials and studies within the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine.
Transplant Clinical Research Center
The Transplant Clinical Research Center (TCRC) at Columbia is a multi-organ research center with the goal of conducting clinical research to improve the lives of patients with organ failure and transplant recipients.
Center for Translational Immunology
The Columbia Center for Translational Immunology (CCTI) at Columbia University Irving Medical Center is a multi-departmental, multidisciplinary research center.
Support the Initiative
Your support of the Columbia Transplant Initiative will benefit patients and their families through advancements in research, improved patient care and training the physicians of the future.