Division of Transplant Surgery

Welcome to the Division of Transplant Surgery at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Our multidisciplinary team specializes in the care of patients with complex hepatobiliary conditions and those in need of liver, kidney, or pancreas transplants. We're dedicated to advancing patient care through research, innovation, and surgical excellence. Our goal is to guide each patient through the transplant journey with clarity and compassion, delivering the best possible outcomes through early intervention and comprehensive treatment.

The University of Colorado is home to the longest-running liver transplant program in the world, founded by Dr. Tom Starzl. He performed Colorado’s first kidney transplant in 1962 and the world’s first successful human liver transplant in 1963. Dr. Igal Kam carried this legacy forward from 1988 to 2016, transforming the program into a national leader and performing the first adult-to-adult live-donor liver transplant in the U.S. in 1997.

From 2016 to 2024, Dr. Elizabeth Pomfret led the Division with a strong focus on clinical excellence, education, and innovation. Under her leadership, the program increased its national prominence and strengthened its commitment to patient-centered care.

Our Transplant Center is one of the largest and most active in the country, having performed more than 7,000 solid organ transplants, including over 1,000 involving living donors. Through our partnership with Children’s Hospital Colorado, we offer expert transplant and complex hepatobiliary care for patients of all ages.

As part of our continued pursuit of surgical advancement, we offer robotic transplant surgery to improve outcomes and expand access. Our team has pioneered the use of robotic techniques in both living donor liver surgery and kidney transplantation for patients with higher body mass indexes. In 2023, we performed Colorado’s first robotic living liver donor procedure using the Da Vinci system. This minimally invasive approach allows for smaller incisions, shorter hospital stays, and quicker recovery compared to traditional surgery. Our robotic kidney transplant program has also opened new opportunities for patients with a BMI over 40, a group that has often faced limited transplant options. These innovations reflect our ongoing dedication to safer surgeries, faster recoveries, and broader access to life-saving care.