American Society of Transplantation gives Mayo Clinic physician one of its highest honors

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 18, 2005 — Dr. Thomas Gonwa, a transplant nephrologist at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville and professor of medicine at Mayo Medical School, is the recipient of the 2005 Wyeth Senior Achievement Award from the American Society of Transplantation (AST).

This award honors investigators at the professor level who have made substantial contributions to the field of transplantation medicine. The award comes with a $10,000 gift to the Department of Transplantation at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. Gonwa says the money will go to further studies of immunosuppressive protocols for kidney transplant recipients.

Gonwa has been involved in clinical trials that resulted in Food and Drug Administration approval of every immunosuppressive medicine in the past 20 years. He is also one of the world's leading authorities in kidney disease in non-kidney transplant patients. Kidney disease often develops over time in transplant patients because of their lifelong need to take immunosuppressive medications. "This is one of the top awards the AST gives," Gonwa says. "I'm very pleased with this recognition of my career."

Gonwa has been active in the AST since its inception in 1982 and served as president in 1994-95. More than 2,200 transplant professionals dedicated to research, education, advocacy and patient care belong to the organization, which serves as a forum for the exchange of knowledge, scientific information and expertise in the field of transplantation.

Gonwa will receive the award from the society at the American Transplant Congress meeting in Seattle, Wash., on May 22.

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Mayo Clinic is a multispecialty medical clinic in Jacksonville, Fla. The staff includes 313 physicians working in more than 40 specialties to provide diagnosis, treatment and surgery. Patients who need hospitalization are admitted to nearby St. Luke's Hospital, a 289-bed Mayo facility. Mayo Clinics also are located in Rochester, Minn., and Arizona. Visit www.MayoClinic.org/news for all the news from Mayo Clinic.

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