Nicolae Leca new medical director of UW Medicine Transplant Institute

Dr. Nicolae Leca, professor (Nephrology) will be the new medical director for transplant for the UW Medicine Transplant Institute, effective April 1, 2024.

Launched on Oct. 1, 2022, the UW Medicine Transplant Institute is a consolidated program designed to enhance coordination efforts across our transplant programs and take our already outstanding services to a new level. The program brought together UW Medicine’s organ transplant services: liver, kidney, pancreas and lung.

Originally co-led by interim medical and surgical directors Dr. Barbara Jung and Dr. Douglas Wood, the institute will now be co-led by medical director Leca and surgical director Dr. Ryutaro Hirose. 

Leca has been medical director of the Kidney and Pancreas Transplant program since 2017 and medical director of the Living Donor Kidney Program since 2015. He is also nationally recognized for his innovative research in kidney transplantation.

"I am excited about him bringing his experience, talent and passion for transplantation to the transplant institute as we continue on our ambitious trajectory," said Department Chair Dr. Barbara Jung. "Please join me in congratulating him ."

Dr. Nicolae Leca earned his medical degree from the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Romania, completed his internship and one year of residency in Romania before moving to the United States to complete residency at Mount Sinai and a nephrology fellowship and subspecialty fellowship in kidney and pancreas transplantation at the University of Buffalo.

He joined the University of Washington in 2005 as a clinical assistant professor, rising through the ranks to professor in 2021. He also has a master’s degree in epidemiology from the UW.