New Faculty Focus: Jacqueline Garonzik Wang

Assistant Professor of Surgery Jacqueline Garonzik Wang’s  research explores methods to increase organ transplantation (both from living and deceased donors), as well as the effects of COVID-19 in transplant recipients and how immunosuppressed patients respond to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. We asked her to share her background and describe why she is excited to be part of the UW–Madison community.

Title: Associate Professor Surgery, Surgical Director, Kidney Transplantation

Hometown: Baltimore, MD

Educational/professional background: BA in public health from Johns Hopkins, MD from Emory University in Atlanta, Ga., general surgery training at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, PhD in Clinical Investigation at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Training in Transplant and Hepatobiliary surgery at Washington University in St. Louis; five years experience as a transplant surgeon at Johns Hopkins.

What is your field of research, and how did you get into it? The majority of my research is focused on exploring methods to increase organ transplantation (both from living and deceased donors). More recently, I spent a lot of time focusing on the effects of COVID-19 in transplant recipients and how immunosuppressed patients respond to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. All of my research is motivated by the patient I treat and care for.

What attracted you to UW–Madison? The people in the division of transplantation and the department of surgery are fantastic!  I love my partners and am excited to join this great time

What was your first visit to campus like? Cold. It was early January and a bit of a struggle for this northeasterner. But even that couldn’t deter my enthusiasm for joining the university, department of surgery and division of transplantation

Favorite place on campus? My office.

This is a unique point in time, as we’re returning after more than a year of pandemic. What do you most look forward to? Meeting all of my new colleagues and exploring the university and Madison.

Do you feel your work relates in any way to the Wisconsin Idea? Yes – we focus on providing outstanding transplant care for the individuals living in the state of Wisconsin and creating innovative ways to improve their care and access to transplantation.

What’s something interesting about your area of expertise you can share that will make us sound smarter at parties, now that we can attend them again? Healthy individuals can live a normal and healthy life with only one kidney or half of their liver. So if you know someone in need, living organ donation is a safe and a possibility.

Hobbies/other interests: I love to run. It’s my way to explore new cities, so I’m looking forward to exploring all of the running trails around Madison.