Douglas Anderson, M.D., M.S., associate professor in the UAB Division of Transplantation, has been selected to serve as the Region 3 representative on the Pancreas Transplantation Committee of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Anderson was chosen by the OPTN Regional Councilors and Vice President following a national review of committee applications, and his three-year term runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029.
The committee is charged with considering the medical, scientific, and ethical aspects related to pancreas and islet organ procurement, distribution, and allocation. Its goal is to develop evidence-based policies to reduce the burden of disease among pancreas and islet candidates and recipients, increase organ utilization, and improve access to transplantation and recipient health outcomes. In his role, Anderson will bring the perspective of his region to that work, attending committee meetings and helping develop, prioritize, and implement its projects.
Region 3 is one of 11 OPTN geographic regions and includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Puerto Rico. As the regional representative, Anderson serves as a link between transplant programs across the Southeast and the national policy process that manages how pancreas and islet organs are matched and shared.
“Pancreas and islet transplantation can be life-changing for patients, but the supply is limited and the allocation questions are complex. I'm grateful for the chance to help make sure those decisions are guided by evidence and reflect the needs of patients across our region,” Anderson said.
Anderson serves as program director of the UAB Abdominal Transplant Fellowship and director of pancreas transplantation. His clinical and research focus includes kidney transplantation and immunosuppression. Anderson earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in biomedical engineering and his medical degree at Vanderbilt University, and completed his general surgery residency and transplant surgery fellowship at Emory University.
“Dr. Anderson is exactly the kind of surgeon you want shaping national policy — thoughtful, evidence-driven, and deeply committed to his patients,” said Jacqueline Garonzik Wang, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Division of Transplantation and co-director of the Comprehensive Transplant Institute. “He will represent our region well and help strengthen the system that so many transplant patients depend on.
The appointment is the second national role announced for Anderson this summer. He was recently named to the Ethics and Conflict of Interest Committee of the Society of University Surgeons, adding to a substantial portfolio of leadership in the policy and ethics of academic transplant surgery.
About the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Pancreas Transplantation Committee
The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) is the nation's transplant system, operated under federal contract and overseen by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The Pancreas Transplantation Committee is one of the OPTN's standing committees, with representatives from each region who present proposals to the OPTN Board of Directors for approval. Proposed policies are shaped through a public comment process before they advance, giving transplant professionals, patients, and the public a voice in how the system operates.