Publications:255
Peter S Heeger, MD
About Me
Peter S. Heeger, MD, is Professor of Medicine, Director of Transplant Research and a member of the Immunology Institute and the Recanati Miller Transplant Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. He leads the Clinical Trials in Organ Transplantation consortium, conducting trials to assess the utility of noninvasive biomarkers to predict outcomes in transplant recipients. His basic research interests are mechanisms of allograft injury and tolerance, with a focus on complement and T lymphocytes. He serves as current chair of the TTT NIH study section, is an active member of the American Society of Transplantation, and has authored >130 publications in the field.
Language
English
Position
ADJUNCT PROFESSOR | Medicine, Nephrology
Education
MD, University of Pennsylvania
Research
Specific Clinical/Research Interest: Transplant immunology, complement, T cells
Postdoctoral Fellows: Paolo Cravedi, Pragya Yadav, Divya Verghese, Carolina Purroy
Junior Faculty: Jessica Reid-Adam
Student Researchers: Francis Sheen, Ed Kwon, Douglas Mathern
Lab Manager: Denise Peace
Reasearch Assistants: Tina Yao, Riddhika Pandya, Linda Zhang, Abhishek Parmar
Overview:
I lead a basic science lab in transplant immunology and complement/T cell interactions. I am also the Director of Transplant Research at Mount Sinai and oversee all clinical and translational transplant trials at the institution. Our group leads a multicenter international NIH trial on biomarkers as predictors of transplant outcome
Summary of Research Studies:
The research performed in my laboratory focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular immunologic events involved in rejection and tolerance of allogeneic organ grafts in mouse models and in humans. Using mouse models we assess a) how and where alloreactive T cell recognize antigens found in transplanted donor tissues and b) which induced effector mechanisms are essential for inducing graft pathology. Recently published work from our group has also delineated a new link between innate and adaptive immunity by demonstrating that alternative pathway complement components influence the strength of all T cell immune responses, including those directed at allogeneic tissues. Lessons derived from the animal studies are being ''translated'' into humans. I direct an NIH U01 multicenter trial to assess the utility of noninvasive markers to predict outcome in organ transplant recipients. The study is designed to provide a rational scientific foundation for therapeutic decision-making aimed at maximizing graft survival and minimizing toxicity in organ graft recipients.
Postdoctoral Fellows: Paolo Cravedi, Pragya Yadav, Divya Verghese, Carolina Purroy
Junior Faculty: Jessica Reid-Adam
Student Researchers: Francis Sheen, Ed Kwon, Douglas Mathern
Lab Manager: Denise Peace
Reasearch Assistants: Tina Yao, Riddhika Pandya, Linda Zhang, Abhishek Parmar
Overview:
I lead a basic science lab in transplant immunology and complement/T cell interactions. I am also the Director of Transplant Research at Mount Sinai and oversee all clinical and translational transplant trials at the institution. Our group leads a multicenter international NIH trial on biomarkers as predictors of transplant outcome
Summary of Research Studies:
The research performed in my laboratory focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular immunologic events involved in rejection and tolerance of allogeneic organ grafts in mouse models and in humans. Using mouse models we assess a) how and where alloreactive T cell recognize antigens found in transplanted donor tissues and b) which induced effector mechanisms are essential for inducing graft pathology. Recently published work from our group has also delineated a new link between innate and adaptive immunity by demonstrating that alternative pathway complement components influence the strength of all T cell immune responses, including those directed at allogeneic tissues. Lessons derived from the animal studies are being ''translated'' into humans. I direct an NIH U01 multicenter trial to assess the utility of noninvasive markers to predict outcome in organ transplant recipients. The study is designed to provide a rational scientific foundation for therapeutic decision-making aimed at maximizing graft survival and minimizing toxicity in organ graft recipients.
Publications
Selected Publications
- The growth hormone/IGF-1 axis is a risk factor for long-term kidney allograft failure. Matthew Cusick, Viji Nair, Damian Fermin, John Hartman, Jeffrey A. Beamish, Zeguo Sun, Zhongyang Zhang, Edgar Otto, Rajasree Menon, Sudha Nadimidla, Nicholas Demchuk, Kelly Shaffer, Peter Heeger, Weija Zhang, Madhav C. Menon, Matthias Kretzler, Roger C. Wiggins, Abhijit S. Naik. JCI insight
- Author Correction: LILRB3 genetic variation is associated with kidney transplant failure in African American recipients (Nature Medicine, (2025), 31, 5, (1677-1687), 10.1038/s41591-025-03568-z). Zeguo Sun, Zhengzi Yi, Chengguo Wei, Wenlin Wang, Tianyuan Ren, Paolo Cravedi, Fasika Tedla, Stephen C. Ward, Evren Azeloglu, Daniel R. Schrider, Yun Li, Atlas Khan, Francesca Zanoni, Jia Fu, Sumaria Ali, Shun Liu, Deguang Liang, Tong Liu, Hong Li, Caixia Xi, Thi Ha Vy, Gohar Mosoyan, Quan Sun, Ashwani Kumar, Zhongyang Zhang, Samira Farouk, Kirk Campell, Jordi Ochando, Kyung Lee, Steve Coca, Jenny Xiang, Patricia Connolly, Lorenzo Gallon, Philip J. O’Connell, Robert Colvin, Madhav C. Menon, Girish Nadkarni, John C. He, Monica Kraft, Xuejun Jiang, Xuewu Zhang, Krzysztof Kiryluk, Aravind Cherukuri, Fadi G. Lakkis, Weiguo Zhang, Shu Hsia Chen, Peter S. Heeger, Weijia Zhang. Nature Medicine
- LILRB3 genetic variation is associated with kidney transplant failure in African American recipients. Zeguo Sun, Zhengzi Yi, Chengguo Wei, Wenlin Wang, Tianyuan Ren, Paolo Cravedi, Fasika Tedla, Stephen C. Ward, Evren Azeloglu, Daniel R. Schrider, Yun Li, Atlas Khan, Francesca Zanoni, Jia Fu, Sumaria Ali, Shun Liu, Deguang Liang, Tong Liu, Hong Li, Caixia Xi, Thi Ha Vy, Gohar Mosoyan, Quan Sun, Ashwani Kumar, Zhongyang Zhang, Samira Farouk, Kirk Campell, Jordi Ochando, Kyung Lee, Steve Coca, Jenny Xiang, Patricia Connolly, Lorenzo Gallon, Philip J. O’Connell, Robert Colvin, Madhav C. Menon, Girish Nadkarni, John C. He, Monica Kraft, Xuejun Jiang, Xuewu Zhang, Krzysztof Kiryluk, Aravind Cherukuri, Fadi G. Lakkis, Weiguo Zhang, Shu Hsia Chen, Peter S. Heeger, Weijia Zhang. Nature Medicine
Industry Relationships
Physicians and scientists on the faculty of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai often interact with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology companies, and other outside entities to improve patient care, develop new therapies and achieve scientific breakthroughs. In order to promote an ethical and transparent environment for conducting research, providing clinical care and teaching, Mount Sinai requires that salaried faculty inform the School of their outside financial relationships.
Dr. Heeger has not yet completed reporting of Industry relationships.
Mount Sinai’s faculty policies relating to faculty collaboration with industry are posted on our website. Patients may wish to ask their physician about the activities they perform for companies.