Yasar Caliskan, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, has been appointed Medical Director of the Kidney Living Donor Program at Vanderbilt Health
Caliskan, who came to Vanderbilt Health last year from Saint Louis University, is nationally recognized for his expertise and research interest in genetic factors that may influence donor outcomes and long-term kidney health
He succeeds transplant nephrologist Heidi Schaefer, MD, Professor of Medicine and Medical Director of Adult Solid Organ Transplant. As Medical Director of the Kidney Living Donor Program since 2009, Schaefer helped advance donor safety, clinical excellence and innovation during rapid growth of the program
“Dr. Caliskan brings exceptional clinical expertise, scholarly achievement and a passion for advancing the field of living kidney donation,” Schaefer said. “We are excited to welcome him to this important leadership role and look forward to building on Vanderbilt’s strong tradition of excellence in living donor transplantation.”
Vanderbilt Health has one of the nation’s busiest and best regarded kidney transplant programs, with more than 400 total kidneys transplanted in 2025, up from about 100 kidneys transplanted in 2004. Of the total kidneys transplanted each year, 50 to 75 are from living donors
Caliskan earned his medical degree and completed specialty training in transplant nephrology in his native Turkey. He came to the United States in 2012 as a postdoctoral research scientist and conducted research at Columbia University, Yale University and Washington University before joining the faculty at Saint Louis University
He has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications and previously served as Director of the Inherited Kidney Diseases Clinic at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital and as Clinical Director of the SLU Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation Center of Excellence
Caliskan is a Fellow of the American Society of Transplantation. He serves on the AST Living Donor Community of Practice Executive Committee and as Co-Chair of the AST Living Donor Genetics Working Group
