Research Funding

  • May 2023 - April 2028 - Advancing the Clinical Translation of Cyst Fluid Assays for Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer. Sponsor: NIH/NCI, Sponsor Award ID: U01

  • April 2024 - March 2029 - Using microvolumetric cyst fluid proteolysis for early detection of pancreatic cancer. Sponsor: NIH/NCI, Sponsor Award ID: 13914282.

  • July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2021 - Molecular Correlates of progression in pancreatic cystic neoplasms , Site Principal Investigator, UCSF. Sponsor: NCI/NIH, Sponsor Award ID: U01
  • November 1, 2017 - November 1, 2020 - Minimally Invasive Classification of Pancreatic Cystic Neoplasms , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: V Foundation, Sponsor Award ID: T2017-013
  • February 1, 2017 - June 30, 2018 - Development of fluorogenic substrates for the diagnosis of pancreatic cysts , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: UCSF Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, Sponsor Award ID: Catalyst Awards Program
  • January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2017 - Non-invasive Differentiation of Benign Lesions from Aggressive Pancreatic Cancer , Co-Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R21CA185689
  • May 15, 1994 - March 31, 2014 - Neural Regulation of Pancreatic Function , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01DK046285

Education

Reed College, Portland, OR, B.A., 1977-1981, Biology
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, M.D., 1981-1985, Medicine

Honors & Awards

Past Research Support (Selected)

  • 1981
    Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society
  • 1981
    Walter Croll Scholarship, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
  • 1983-85
    President, Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society, University of Pennsylvania Chapter
  • 1989-90
    Claude E. Welch Research Fellowship Award, Department of Surgery, Mass General Hospital
  • 1990-91
    Claude E. Welch Research Fellowship Award, Department of Surgery, Mass General Hospital
  • 1995-96
    Nominated, Kaiser Award for Excellence in Teaching, UCSF School of Medicine
  • 1996-97
    Excellence in Teaching, UCSF Department of Surgery Chief Residents
  • 1998
    Clinical Teaching Award, UCSF School of Medicine, Class of 1998
  • 1999
    Nominated, Kaiser Award for Excellence in Teaching, Medical Students
  • 2001
    Excellence in Teaching Award, UCSF Department of Surgery Residents
  • 2004
    Excellence in Teaching Award, UCSF Department of Surgery Chief Residents
  • 2004
    Kaiser Award for Excellence in Teaching Nomination, UCSF School of Medicine
  • 2008
    Excellence in Teaching Award, UCSF Department of Surgery Chief Residents
  • 2009
    Excellence in Teaching Award, UCSF Department of Surgery Chief Residents
  • 2010
    AGA Student Abstract Prize (Victoria Lyo), American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Foundation
  • 2010
    Kaiser Award for Excellence in Teaching Nomination, UCSF School of Medicine
  • 2010
    Pancreas Club Warren Award (Victoria Lyo), Pancreas Club
  • 2010
    Howard Hughes Research Fellowship (Victoria Lyo), Howard Hughes Medical Institute
  • 2012
    Excellence in Teaching Award, UCSF Department of Surgery Chief Residents
  • 2013
    Excellence in Teaching Award, UCSF School of Medicine, Surgical Clerkship
  • 2014
    Excellence in Teaching Award, UCSF Department of Surgery Chief Residents
  • 2015
    Excellence in Teaching Award, Inaugural, UCSF Department of Surgery Junior Residents
    • 7/2013-6/2014
      CTSI Phase 1, TI Catalyst: Early Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer Using a Non-Invasive Imaging Tool
    • 7/2013-6/2014
      UCSF RAP Cancer Pilot: Non-Invasive Imaging of Proteolytic Activity in the Pancreas: Towards Early Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer
    • 04/01/03-03/31/14
      R01 DK46285 (no cost extension) NIH: Neural Regulation of Pancreatic Function
      The major goals of this project are to examine the role of proteases, sensory nerves, tachykinins, ion channels, and neurokinin receptors in pancreatic inflammation and pain.
    • 07/01/2009-06/30/12
      2T32DK07573-21 NIH: GI Training Grant
      The goal of this project is to provide 2 years of independent research training to fellows with academic career goals in the field of gastrointestinal surgery. Dr. Kirkwood has mentored 8 surgical research fellows in 17 years.
    • 02/01/10-01/31/11
      3R01DK046285-10S1 NIH: Neural Regulation of Pancreatic Function (Recovery Act Administrative Supplement)
      The purpose of this study is to further to examine the role of proteases, sensory nerves, tachykinins, ion channels, and neurokinin receptors in pancreatic inflammation and pain.
    • 07/01/2010-06/30/11
      Foundation - Greenwall Foundation (Co PI: Kirkwood, Lo) Ethics of Informed Consent for Innovative surgical procedures
      The purpose of this study is to develop an understanding of the ethical and legal issues that surround informed consent for innovative surgical procedures.
    • 04/01/08-03/31/13
      2 R01 DK046285-14 NIH: Neural Regulation of Pancreatic Function
      The major goals of this project are to examine the role of proteases, sensory nerves, tachykinins, ion channels, and neurokinin receptors in pancreatic inflammation and pain.

Selected Publications

  1. Ashraf Ganjouei A, Romero-Hernandez F, Wang JJ, Casey M, Frye W, Hoffman D, Hirose K, Nakakura E, Corvera C, Maker AV, Kirkwood KS, Alseidi A, Adam MA. ASO Visual Abstract: A Machine-Learning Approach to Predict Postoperative Pancreatic Fistula after Pancreaticoduodenectomy Using only Preoperatively Known Data. Ann Surg Oncol. 2023 Nov; 30(12):7776-7777.  View on PubMed
  2. Ashraf Ganjouei A, Romero-Hernandez F, Conroy PC, Miller P, Calthorpe L, Wang JJ, Lin J, Feng J, Kirkwood KS, Alseidi A, Sarin A, Adam MA. A Novel Machine Learning Approach to Predict Textbook Outcome in Colectomy. Dis Colon Rectum. 2023 Oct 10.  View on PubMed
  3. Ashraf Ganjouei A, Romero-Hernandez F, Wang JJ, Casey M, Frye W, Hoffman D, Hirose K, Nakakura E, Corvera C, Maker AV, Kirkwood KS, Alseidi A, Adam MA. A Machine Learning Approach to Predict Postoperative Pancreatic Fistula After Pancreaticoduodenectomy Using Only Preoperatively Known Data. Ann Surg Oncol. 2023 Nov; 30(12):7738-7747.  View on PubMed
  4. Calthorpe L, Romero-Hernandez F, Casey M, Nunez M, Conroy PC, Hirose K, Kim A, Kirkwood K, Maker AV, Corvera C, Nakakura E, Alseidi A, Adam MA. ASO Visual Abstract: National Practice Patterns in Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma-Updates in Management and Survival. Ann Surg Oncol. 2023 Aug; 30(8):5131.  View on PubMed
  5. Calthorpe L, Romero-Hernandez F, Casey M, Nunez M, Conroy PC, Hirose K, Kim A, Kirkwood K, Maker AV, Corvera C, Nakakura E, Alseidi A, Adam MA. National Practice Patterns in Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma: Updates in Management and Survival. Ann Surg Oncol. 2023 Aug; 30(8):5119-5129.  View on PubMed
  6. Lin JJ, Conroy PC, Romero-Hernandez F, Yilma M, Feng J, Hirose K, Nakakura E, Maker AV, Corvera C, Kirkwood K, Alseidi A, Adam MA. Hypertension Requiring Medication Use: a Silent Predictor of Poor Outcomes After Pancreaticoduodenectomy. J Gastrointest Surg. 2023 02; 27(2):328-336.  View on PubMed
  7. Calthorpe L, Romero-Hernandez F, Miller P, Conroy PC, Hirose K, Kim A, Kirkwood K, Nakakura E, Corvera C, Maker AV, Alseidi A, Adam MA. Contemporary Trends in Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma: Incidence and Survival in the United States. Cancers (Basel). 2022 Dec 30; 15(1).  View on PubMed
  8. Conroy PC, Mohamedaly S, Karimzada M, Brian R, Im C, Hernandez S, Roman S, Hirose K, Mukhtar R, Kirkwood K, O'Sullivan P, Alseidi A. Implementation, evaluation, and modification of a near-peer learning group in graduate surgical education. Am J Surg. 2023 03; 225(3):591-592.  View on PubMed
  9. Miller PN, Romero-Hernandez F, Conroy P, Calthorpe L, Yilma M, Mohamedaly S, Kelly YM, Feng J, Hirose K, Kirkwood K, Maker AV, Corvera C, Nakakura E, Alseidi A, Adam MA. Hand-Assisted Versus Pure Minimally-Invasive Distal Pancreatectomy: Is There a Downside to Lending a Hand? World J Surg. 2023 03; 47(3):750-758.  View on PubMed
  10. Romero-Hernandez F, Mohamedaly S, Miller P, Rodriguez N, Calthorpe L, Conroy PC, Ganjouei AA, Hirose K, Maker AV, Nakakura E, Corvera C, Kirkwood KS, Alseidi A, Adam MA. Minimally Invasive Distal Pancreatectomy Techniques: A Contemporary Analysis Exploring Trends, Similarities, and Differences to Open Surgery. Cancers (Basel). 2022 Nov 16; 14(22).  View on PubMed
  11. Caiazza F, Conroy PC, Ivry SL, York T, Lin J, Hernandez S, Hoffmann TJ, Francis SS, Park WG, Yip-Schneider MT, Schmidt CM, Brand R, Craik CS, Kirkwood K. Accurate Identification of Mucinous Pancreatic Cystic Lesions Using Small-Volume Analytes. J Surg Res. 2023 04; 284:322-331.  View on PubMed
  12. Suresh V, Byers K, Rajesh UC, Caiazza F, Zhu G, Craik CS, Kirkwood K, Davisson VJ, Sheik DA. Translation of a Protease Turnover Assay for Clinical Discrimination of Mucinous Pancreatic Cysts. Diagnostics (Basel). 2022 May 28; 12(6).  View on PubMed
  13. Glencer AC, Lin JA, Trang K, Greenberg A, Kirkwood KS, Adam MA, Sarin A. Assessing the role of robotic proctectomy in obese patients: a contemporary NSQIP analysis. J Robot Surg. 2022 Dec; 16(6):1391-1399.  View on PubMed
  14. Conroy PC, Calthorpe L, Lin JA, Mohamedaly S, Kim A, Hirose K, Nakakura E, Corvera C, Sosa JA, Sarin A, Kirkwood KS, Alseidi A, Adam MA. ASO Visual Abstract: Determining Hospital Volume Threshold for the Safety of Minimally Invasive Pancreaticoduodenectomy: A Contemporary Cutpoint Analysis. Ann Surg Oncol. 2022 Jan 15.  View on PubMed
  15. Conroy PC, Calthorpe L, Lin JA, Mohamedaly S, Kim A, Hirose K, Nakakura E, Corvera C, Sosa JA, Sarin A, Kirkwood KS, Alseidi A, Adam MA. Determining Hospital Volume Threshold for Safety of Minimally Invasive Pancreaticoduodenectomy: A Contemporary Cutpoint Analysis. Ann Surg Oncol. 2022 Mar; 29(3):1566-1574.  View on PubMed
  16. Lin JA, Im CJ, O'Sullivan P, Kirkwood KS, Cook AC. The surgical resident experience in serious illness communication: A qualitative needs assessment with proposed solutions. Am J Surg. 2021 Dec; 222(6):1126-1130.  View on PubMed
  17. Thiruvengadam NR, Miranda J, Kim C, Behr S, Corvera C, Dai SC, Kirkwood K, Harris HW, Hirose K, Nakakura E, Ostroff JW, Kochman ML, Arain MA. Burden of Ionizing Radiation in the Diagnosis and Management of Necrotizing Pancreatitis. Clin Transl Gastroenterol. 2021 04 27; 12(5):e00347.  View on PubMed
  18. Dittmar RL, Liu S, Tai MC, Rajapakshe K, Huang Y, Longton G, DeCapite C, Hurd MW, Paris PL, Kirkwood KS, Coarfa C, Maitra A, Brand RE, Killary AM, Sen S. Plasma miRNA Biomarkers in Limited Volume Samples for Detection of Early-stage Pancreatic Cancer. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2021 07; 14(7):729-740.  View on PubMed
  19. Sharib J, Esserman L, Koay EJ, Maitra A, Shen Y, Kirkwood KS, Ozanne EM. Cost-effectiveness of consensus guideline based management of pancreatic cysts: The sensitivity and specificity required for guidelines to be cost-effective. Surgery. 2020 10; 168(4):601-609.  View on PubMed
  20. Moroz A, Wang YH, Sharib JM, Wei J, Zhao N, Huang Y, Chen Z, Martinko AJ, Zhuo J, Lim SA, Zhang LH, Seo Y, Carlin S, Leung KK, Collisson EA, Kirkwood KS, Wells JA, Evans MJ. Theranostic Targeting of CUB Domain Containing Protein 1 (CDCP1) in Pancreatic Cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2020 07 15; 26(14):3608-3615.  View on PubMed

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