Sergio Acuna, MD, PhD

Transplant/HPB Surgeon @UABSurgery | General Surgeon @UofTSurgery | Clinical Epidemiologist @ihpmeuoft

[UAB Surgery @UABSurgery]

UAB is expanding access to life-sustaining transplants by adopting normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) performed by 34 Lives, an advanced organ preservation technology shown to improve organ utilization and early transplant outcomes.

Read more: https://t.co/YP1RPZoZIB.

[UAB Surgery @UABSurgery]

Dr. Sergio Acuna Mancilla, has been awarded a $30,000 grant from the AHPBA and the Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Foundation for his project, “Understanding surgical decision-making for cirrhotic patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma.”

💻: https://t.co/qFH084Zu0i

[Jackie Garonzik Wang @garonzikwang]

Celebrating @seacm on receiving the AHPBA Research Development Grant. This is the impact we strive for: advancing science, elevating care and leading the way.

https://t.co/ZPkzAodCsP

[Jackie Garonzik Wang @garonzikwang]

What an amazing morning of transplant focused education. M and M moderated by Saulat Sheikh, @seacm and Evan Guay and Grand Rounds lecture on living donation by Margaret Romine. Transplant fun for all!

[UAB Surgery @UABSurgery]

For the first time in Alabama, surgeons at UAB have successfully completed the first living-donor liver transplant — an advancement that expands lifesaving options for patients facing long wait times on transplant lists.

Learn more here: https://t.co/JIVWZVs96r.

[Sergio Acuna, MD, PhD @seacm]

Elegant nationwide study linking impaired immune surveillance to colorectal carcinogenesis in transplant recipients.

Kidney transplant recipients show a selective increase in dMMR CRC, but not pMMR CRC, supporting the idea that neoantigen-rich tumors normally controlled by the immune system can progress under chronic immunosuppression.

https://t.co/j7ziuGOqtq

[Sergio Acuna, MD, PhD @seacm]

These findings support carefully balancing tacrolimus exposure between rejection prevention and oncologic risk. Especially in higher-risk cancer recipients (prior cancer history, older recipients, transplanted for cancer).

[Sergio Acuna, MD, PhD @seacm]

Our new population-based cohort study of 5,178 SOTRs shows ↑ cumulative tacrolimus exposure is independently associated with ↑ post-transplant de novo malignancy.

Key findings:
• Linear exposure–risk relationship (no clear safety threshold)
• Present across all solid organ transplants
• Even modest increases (7 → 8.4 ng/mL over 1 year) ↑ cancer risk by ~9%

🔗 https://t.co/zr3nFSzCdV
#TransplantOncology #Immunosuppression #SOT

[Sergio Acuna, MD, PhD @seacm]

Cancer is a core outcome in #KidneyTransplant trials but it's inconsistently reported.

In this international study, patients & clinicians prioritized:
✅Cancer occurrence
✅Cancer-related death
✅Impact on graft function

https://t.co/4RJPrC1iwh
#TransplantOncology @KIReports

[Sergio Acuna, MD, PhD @seacm]

For #CholangiocarcinomaDay, education empowers patients.

Dr. Sheikh spoke on surgery for bile duct cancers at the 2026 Cholangiocarcinoma Symposium — part of our Division of Transplant’s commitment to improving outcomes in CCA.

Together, we move the field forward. #GreenForCCA

[Umaid Rabbani @RabbaniUmaid]

From black tie dinners to life-saving decisions — this is transplant life.
So proud of our fellows locked in on an organ offer with me, even in the middle of the gala.
Dedication never clocks out.
#UABSurgery #UABTransplant

[Umaid Rabbani @RabbaniUmaid]

Last week was momentous. Completed UAB’s first robotic kidney transplant cases, expanding minimally invasive options for our transplant patients.

Made possible through the mentorship of Dr. Michael Hanaway and Dr. Adeel Khan—deeply grateful for their guidance to help me get this accomplished.

Grateful for leadership support @herbchen @garonzikwang @UABSurgery @ASTSChimera

[herb chen @herbchen]

first robotic kidney transplant @UABSurgery by @RabbaniUmaid and our fantastic transplant team. @garonzikwang

[UAB Surgery @UABSurgery]

The UAB Division of Transplantation recently performed a split-liver transplantation, led by Drs. Saulat Sheikh and Marcos Pozo Jatem - marking the first use of this life-saving procedure at UAB and Children’s in almost a decade.

💻 Learn more: https://t.co/p6N6l9ETk8.

[Ahmad Abou Abbass @AhmadAbouAbbas8]

It’s been a pleasure collaborating with surgeons from Alabama and Mexico. This course offers an exceptional opportunity to refine robotic HPB skills, I strongly recommend it to anyone committed to advancing their expertise in the field.
#roboticsurgery @IntuitiveSurg

[ASTS @ASTSChimera]

Organ donation saves lives, but fewer Americans are signing up to be organ donors. A trend that is threatening this life-saving system.

Read ASTS President Dr. Jim Markmann’s op-ed in @Newsweek to learn why action is needed now: https://t.co/QlAdjpvE96

[Sergio Acuna, MD, PhD @seacm]

Excellent example of applying a non-inferiority approach in meta-analysis. Both NI trials and MAs can struggle when margins lack clinical relevance—balancing clinically meaningful differences with study feasibility remains a challenge. Meta-analysis may help address this tension.

[JAMA Internal Medicine @JAMAInternalMed]

Shorter durations of #antibiotic prophylaxis, including no prophylaxis, appear noninferior to longer durations for preventing mortality in patients with #cirrhosis and upper gastrointestinal bleeding. https://t.co/rV6MdyCGOQ @bradspellberg @DrToddLee

[Sergio Acuna, MD, PhD @seacm]

Passing on the craft: senior fellow mentoring the junior fellow through their 1st liver transplant. Building the future of transplant surgery, one case at a time. #UABTransplant @ASTSChimera @UABSurgery @RabbaniUmaid

[Umaid Rabbani @RabbaniUmaid]

Great week at the #WTC2025
Witnessed some ground breaking work from our transplant science colleagues from around the world. Grateful for all the connections, and learning. Congratulations to @mjonescarrMD for presenting her work from UAB @UABSurgery @uabmedicine @ASTSChimera

[Umaid Rabbani @RabbaniUmaid]

Transplant team representation at the World Transplant Congress @UABSurgery @uabmedicine @WTC2025