David Klassen

MD
United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), VA
David Klassen

Brief Bio

David Klassen joined UNOS in 2014 as Chief Medical Officer. In this role, Dr. Klassen provides an experienced clinical perspective the UNOS policymaking, research, education, and patient safety efforts. He assists the developing, planning and implementing UNOS’ strategic direction. Prior to coming to UNOS, Dr. Klassen was the Medical Director of the Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Programs at the University of Maryland Hospital, where he was as a faculty member beginning in 1986. He has a long history of volunteer leadership with UNOS and many professional societies. Dr. Klassen served on the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors and as a member of the OPTN/UNOS Kidney Transplantation Committee and Membership and Professional Standards committee. He has published extensively in clinical kidney and pancreas transplantation as well as in transplant outcomes and policy.

Dr. Klassen earned his medical degree from the Ohio State University in Columbus and completed his Internal Medicine and Nephrology training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.

Area(s) of Focus OPTN policy, program oversight, patient safety, research

Alliance Presentations

XenoTransplantation Kidney

The Xenotransplantation Breakthrough: A Groundbreaking Approach to Increasing Organ Supply

Tuesday, February 01, 2022, at 2:00pm

The organ shortage is the most critical and significant challenge impacting the field of organ transplantation. The lack of organs available for transplantation has prevented a considerable number of patients from attaining a better quality of life and resulted in thousands of waitlist deaths. During this discussion, we will welcome Dr. Robert Montgomery, an innovative transplant surgeon from NYU Langone Health, who led the recent efforts in performing the first successful investigational xenotransplantation procedure using a genetically engineered pig kidney. Join us to hear more about lessons learned from this breakthrough surgery and the latest surrounding the groundbreaking research that is currently underway.

Lifelong Networks

Our partners are the heart and soul of our organization. For more than 15 years, they have played a vital role providing quality education and programs to advance a shared mission.