Professor of Surgery
Adjunct Professor in the Department of Medicine
Overview
Our research program focuses on modulating the pre-formed alloimmune response to donor antigen in sensitized recipients. Advances in organ transplantation, B cell immunology, and hematologic malignancy research led me to expand my goals to include identifying strategies for both desensitization and treating AMR by targeting components of the post-transplant humoral immune response. In addition, we applied the knowledge gained by studying the alloimmune response to xenotransplantation, with the goal of improving long-term outcomes of kidney xenotransplantation by decreasing xeno-reactive antibodies as well as alleviating post-xenotransplant AMR.
The six primary research interests of TIRTL are,
- Pre-clinical models for organ transplantation
- Desensitization strategies – Preclinical/Clinical
- Xenotransplantation
- Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) treatment
- Optimal immunosuppression
- Tolerance
Lab Members
Current Lab Members
Shengli Song, PhD (Faculty)
Instructor of Surgery, 4/2022 - Present
Davide Schiliro, MD
Post-doctoral Fellow, 2023. 5 – Present
Daniel Schuster, MD (PGY3)
Research Resident and PhD candidate, 2023. 4 – Present
Alessandro Martinino, MD
Post-doctoral Fellow, 11/2023-Present
Nagham Bazzi, MD
Post-doctoral Fellow, 1/2024-Present
Matthew Tunbridge, MD
Post-doctoral Fellow, PhD candidate, 2023.8 - Present
Janghoon Yoon, BS
Project/Lab manager, 6/2015-Present
Rafaella Belloni, BS
Research Technician, 6/2022-Present
Angela Park, BS
Research Technician, 1/2023-Present
Emma Fatzaun, BS
Research Technician, 2023.8 - Present
Zhen Chen, BS, MMSc
Research Technician, 8/2023-Present
Ryan Spangler
Volunteer undergrad student (Duke University). 10/22-1/2023
Independent Study (Project Term: Spring 2023). 1/2023-5/2023
Kyo Won Lee, MD, PhD
Visiting Scholar (Samsung Medical Center, South Korea), 2023.8- Present
Min Jung Kim, MD, PhD
Visiting Scholar (Seoul Medical Center, South Korea), 2023.8 - Present
Allie Schwalb, BS (MS2)
Duke Medical Student (DUMC), 9/2023-Present
ASTS Presidential Student Mentor Grand Recipient
Meghan Hu, BS (MS2)
Duke Medical Student (DUMC), 10/2023-Present
2023 Bollinger Scholarship Recipient
Kyo Won Lee, MD, PhD
- Visiting Scholar (Samsung Medical Center, South Korea), 2023.8- 2024.7
Min Jung Kim, MD, PhD
- Visiting Scholar (Seoul Medical Center, South Korea), 2023.8 – 2024.7
Joseph Ladowski, MD, PhD (PGY3)
- Duke research Resident (DUMC), 2022.7-2024.6
Allie Schwalb, BS (MS2)
- Duke Medical Student (DUMC), 2023.9-2024.6 (2023 ASTS Presidential Student Mentor Grant recipients)
Imran Anwar, MD (PGY4)
- Duke Research Resident (DUMC), 2021.7-Present
Isabel DeLaura, BS (MS2)
- Duke Medical Student (DUMC), 2021.9-Present (2022 ASTS Presidential Student Mentor Grant recipients)
Miriam Manook, MD, PhD
- Visiting Research Resident (Kings College, UK), 9/2015-8/2016
- Visiting Research Resident (Kings College, UK), 9/2019-8/2021
- Currently at the University of Cambridge, UK
Danae Olaso, MD
- Duke Medical Student (DUMC), 6/2019-8-2019 (2019 ASTS Presidential Student Mentor Grant recipients)
- Duke Medical Student (DUMC), 10/2020-6/2021 (Bollinger Scholarship)
- Currently at UC San Diego (General Surgery Resident)
Robert Baldi, BS
- Research Technician, 2021 - 2022
Yeeun Bae, BS
- Research Technician, 2020-2021
- Currently, PhD Student at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
Robin Schmitz, MD
- Duke Research Resident (DUMC), 7/2018-6/2020
- Currently at the University of Pittsburg (Fellow – Surgical Oncology)
Zachery Fitch, MD
- Duke Research Resident (DUMC), 7/2018-6/2020
Ashley Choi, MD
- Duke Medical Student (DUMC), 7/2018-4/2020
- Currently at Stanford University, CA (Surgery resident)
Paul Schroder, MD, PhD
- Duke Research Resident (DUMC), 7/2017-6/2019
- Currently at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (Transplant Fellow)
Kyle Freischlag, MD
- 2nd year Medical Student (DUMC), 9/2016-6/2018
- Currently at the University of Iowa (Surgery resident)
Brian Ezekian, MD
- Duke Research Resident (DUMC), 7/2016-6/2018
- Currently at the University of Toronto (Transplant Fellow)
Jae Berm Park, MD, PhD
- Visiting Scholar, 7/2015-7/2016
- Currently at Samsung Medical Center (Division Chair), Seoul, South Korea
Christopher Burghuber, MD
- Visiting Research Resident (Medical University of Vienna, Austria), 6/2013-5/2015
- Currently, Vascular Surgeon at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria
Eugenia Page, MD
- Emory research Resident, 7/2010-6/2012
- Emory research Resident, 7/2014-1/2015
- Currently at Atlanta Plastic & Reconstructive Specialists, Atlanta, GA
Andrew Page, MD
- Emory research Resident, 7/2008-6/2010
- Currently at Piedmont Hospital, Atlanta, GA
Silke V. Niederhaus, MD
- Research Resident (University of Wisconsin-Madison), 6/2005-6/2007 (2006-2008 ASTS Jon Fryer Resident Scientist Scholarship recipient)
- Currently at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Wasim Dar, MD, PhD
- Research Resident/PhD (University of Wisconsin-Madison), 2002-2007
- Currently at Hartford HealthCare Medical Group, Hartford Hospital Transplant & Comprehensive Liver Center, Hartford, CT
Andrea Proneth, MD
- Visiting Medical Student from University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany, 2004-2005
Beate Exner, MD
- Visiting Resident from University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany, 2004-2005
Drew Roenneburg, PA-C
- Laboratory histologist, 2003 – 2007
- Currently at SSM Health, Madison, WI
Turan Kanmaz, MD
- Visiting Scholar/Research fellow (University of Wisconsin-Madison), 2002-2003
- Currently at Koç University Hospital, Zeytinburnu/İstanbul, Türkiye
Debora Bloom, PhD
- Post-doc Fellow (University of Wisconsin-Madison), 2002-2007
- Currently at Covance (Scientific Specialist)
Zen Davis, PhD
- Research associate (University of Wisconsin-Madison), 2002 - 2007
- Retired
Huaizhong Hu, PhD
- Faculty/Assistant Professor (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
- Currently, VP of Preclinical Development at CANbridge Life Science, Beijing, China
Ping Feng, PhD
- Post-doc Fellow (University of Wisconsin-Madison), 2001-2003
- Currently, Chief Medical Officer at Medbanks Network Technology, Shanghai, China
Yinching Dong, BS
- Lab Technician, ~2007
- Presumed Retired
Jacqueline Schultz, BS
- Lab Technician/histologist, ~2003
- Retired
John Fechner, MS
- Lab manager, ~2007
- Currently at University of Wisconsin-Madison
Edward Geissler, PhD
- PhD Student
- Currently, Professor of Experimental Surgery, University of Regensburg, Germany
Yuan Zhai, PhD
- PhD Student, 1992-1998
- Currently, Professor at Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina
Ryan Spangler – Volunteer undergrad student (Duke University). 2022.10-2023.1; Independent Study (Project Term: Spring 2023). 2023.1-2023. 5
Simon Keating - Summer Research Intern (Gordon College), 6/2023-8/2023
Ryan Spangler - Summer Research Intern (Duke University), 6/2023-8/2023
Joshua Sun – Summer Research Intern (Baylor University), 6/2022-8/2022
Jenny Hong – Summer high school student intern (NC math and science), 7/2019
Eunseo Maeng - Summer Research Intern (Gordon College), 6/2019-8/2019
Tochi Anioke - Summer Research Intern (Gordon College), 6/2019-8/2019
Yeeun Bae – Summer Research Intern (Gordon College), 6/2018-8/2018
Yewoo Lee – Summer Research Intern (Gordon College), 6/2018-8/2018
Joshua Cochran – Summer Research Intern (Gordon College), 6/2017-8/2017
Kayla Kroning – Summer Research Intern (Gordon College), 6/2017-8/2017
Verna Caufman – Summer Research Intern (Gordon College), 6/2016-9/2016
Evelyn Braum – Summer Research Intern (Wake Forest U), 6/2016-9/2016
David Parr – Summer Research Intern (Gordon College), 6/2015-9/2015
John (Janghoon) Yoon – Summer Research Intern (Gordon College), 6/2014-8/2014
Hyunjin Song – Junior (Emory U), Laboratory research, currently a medical student at medical college of Georgia, 2013-2014
Dongwon Kim – Junior/Senior (Emory U), Laboratory research, Independent study (highest honor) 2010-2012
Funded Projects and Publications
View Dr. Knechtle's funded projects and publications on his Duke Surgery profile.
View Dr. Kwun's funded projects and publications on his Duke Surgery profile.
Lab Activities
Contact
Transplant Immune Regulation & Tolerance Lab (TIRTL) at Duke University
Jean Kwun, DMV, PhD
404-775-7406
jean.kwun@duke.edu
207 Research Dr, Jones 365
Duke University, NC 27710