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Allan Douglas Kirk

David C. Sabiston, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Surgery
Surgery, Abdominal Transplant Surgery

Overview


I am a surgeon with interest in immune management of transplant recipients. I am particularly interested in therapies that influence T cell costimulation pathways and adjuvant therapies that facilitate costimulation blockade to prevent the rejection of transplanted organs without undue suppression of protective immunity. I am also interested in understanding how injury, such as that occurring during trauma or in elective surgery, influences immune responses and subsequent healing following injury.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


David C. Sabiston, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Surgery · 2015 - Present Surgery, Abdominal Transplant Surgery, Surgery
Professor of Surgery · 2014 - Present Surgery, Abdominal Transplant Surgery, Surgery
Professor in Pediatrics · 2014 - Present Pediatrics, Clinical Science Departments
Professor in Integrative Immunobiology · 2014 - Present Integrative Immunobiology, Basic Science Departments
Member of the Duke Cancer Institute · 2015 - Present Duke Cancer Institute, Institutes and Centers

In the News


Published December 15, 2023
What Matters Most to Surgeons-in-Training
Published September 1, 2023
Antibody May Help Prevent Organ Rejection After Transplants
Published May 20, 2020
What Causes a Person's Immune System to Weaken?

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Recent Publications


Antibodies to angiotensin II type 1 receptor and endothelin type A receptor are associated with cytokine production enriched for type 2 immune response and antibody production in pediatric kidney transplant recipients.

Journal Article Am J Transplant · November 2025 Activating antibodies to angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) and endothelin type A receptor (ETAR) have been associated with rejection, allograft loss, decline in allograft function, and development of human leukocyte antigen donor-specific antibodies in ... Full text Link to item Cite

Breast density in MRI: an AI-based quantification and relationship to assessment in mammography.

Journal Article NPJ Breast Cancer · October 27, 2025 Mammographic breast density is a well-established risk factor for breast cancer. Recently, there has been interest in breast MRI as an adjunct to mammography, as this modality provides an orthogonal and highly quantitative assessment of breast tissue. Howe ... Full text Link to item Cite

Xenotransplantation: Promises and Perils.

Journal Article Annu Rev Med · October 8, 2025 Xenotransplantation of genetically modified pig organs has the potential to change the landscape of transplantation and chronic disease management by providing limitless personalized organs on demand. Decades of progress have resulted in recent US Food and ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (StARR) - NIAID

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPreceptor · Awarded by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases · 2018 - 2029

Advanced Immunobiology Traning Program for Surgeons

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases · 2019 - 2029

Tolerance to Allogeneic Hearts via Implantation of Cultured Donor Thymus

ResearchAdvisor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2025 - 2028

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Education, Training & Certifications


Duke University · 1992 Ph.D.
Duke University, School of Medicine · 1987 M.D.
Old Dominion University · 1983 B.S.