Dan Brennan ’81, 2011 Leadership and Service Award

Dan Brennan, you graduated from Cornell in 1981 with a degree in chemistry, married Susan Kozal ’82, and three decades later you are the father of four and recognized as a world leader in nephrology. Your focus is on the medical challenges that occur after patients receive kidney transplants, as well as the related issues faced by patients with kidney problems who receive other types of solid organ transplants.

View the award presentation and acceptance speech

Your major research interests are viral infections and induction immunosuppressive therapy in kidney transplantation. Your work in these areas has produced a paradigm shift in the management of renal transplantation that has been adopted by many transplant programs throughout the world and led to marked improvement in outcomes. In recognition of these achievements, you have received many awards, including induction into the American Society of Clinical Investigation in 2004.

You are Professor of Medicine in the Renal Division at Washington University College of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, and Director of Transplant Nephrology at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. In these roles, you have closely mentored over 30 students, residents, fellows, and faculty, many of whom now hold prominent positions at academic medical centers throughout the country. And every day doctors around the world benefit from the material you coordinate for UpToDate, the world’s most widely referenced medical resource, where you serve as Editor in Chief for Nephrology.

Dan, for your lifelong commitment and tireless dedication toward improving the lives of people facing life-threatening medical conditions, we honor you with the Leadership and Service Award.