Sindhu Chandran, MBBS
Specialty:
Transplant Nephrology
Graduated From:
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
Current Position:
Director of the Inpatient Kidney Transplant Unit at UCSF. In addition, I am Associate Director of Clinical & Translational Medicine at the Immune Tolerance Network.
Current Projects:
I am currently involved in two different research areas. One involves the manufacturing/ modulation of Tregs as a strategy to control graft inflammation and prevent rejection (CTOT-21 and CTOT-24). The other area is focused on the induction of tolerance in transplant recipients, and our latest project involves desensitization using a combination of plasma cell depletion and costimulation blockade. I enjoy working with the primary investigators on building and executing these challenging clinical protocols.
What made you decide to work in transplantation?:
My first rotation as a general nephrology fellow at Stanford was on the transplant service. I found the enthusiasm and commitment of the patients and providers to be highly contagious and developed an abiding interest in the mechanisms and use of immunosuppressive agents.
What do you find to be the most valuable aspect of your work?:
I derive the most satisfaction from taking care of challenging clinical cases and from collaborating on research protocols that help address knotty clinical issues, such as subclinical graft inflammation or treating HLA antibody. I have been fortunate to have a dynamic and inspiring role model in the form of Dr. Flavio Vincenti at UCSF for the last 10 years. Collaborating with imaginative and accomplished colleagues at UCSF and the ITN keeps my work interesting and rewarding.
How have you served AST?:
I currently serve on the AST Scientific Review Committee, and one huge benefit of this service is the opportunity to see the most imaginative, innovative, and cutting-edge proposals from our brightest fellows and most accomplished faculty.
Fun Facts:
Shark skin looks very smooth but surprisingly, it feels like sandpaper. I had to wrestle one out of the fish tank for a renal physiology course at Mt. Desert Island Biological Laboratory but it was fun (disclosure: said shark was only 24 inches long).