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Mustafa D. Nazzal, M.D., MLS, FACS

Director, Division of Abdominal Transplant Surgery; Professor
Department of Surgery

Education

Fellowship
Transplant surgery, Cleveland Clinic

Residency
General surgery, University of Toledo Medical Center

Medical School
Ain Shams University

Master of Liberal Studies
Washington University in St. Louis

Practice Areas

Mustafa Nazzal is professor of surgery and chief of abdominal transplant surgery at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital, where he also serves as associate vice chair of surgery for research. Nazzal performs adult and pediatric liver and kidney transplant as well as complex hepato-biliary surgery liver and biliary duct tumors.

Nazzal's translational research focuses on ischemia reperfusion injury in liver transplant utilizing a normothermic perfusion pump platform called “PROTECT.” His research is supported by multiple extramural funds. He has been cited 653 times with an h-index of 13. 

Publications and Media Placements

  • Novel NMP split liver model recapitulates human IRI and demonstrates ferroptosis modulators as a new therapeutic strategy. Mustafa Nazzal, Erik C. Madsen, Austin Armstrong, Johan van Nispen, Vidul Murali, Eric Song, Marcus Voigt, Himani Madnawat, Adam Welu … See all authors 
  • Nazzal M, Lentine KL, Naik AS, et al. Center-driven and clinically driven variation in US liver transplant maintenance immunosuppression therapy: a national practice patterns analysis. *Transplantation Direct* 2018;4(7):e364[3]
  • Dharnidharka VR, Naik AS, Axelrod DA, et al. Center practice drives variation in choice of US kidney transplant induction therapy: a retrospective analysis of contemporary practice. *Transplant International* 2018;31(2):198-211[3]
  • Kourkoumpetis T, Levitsky J. Immunosuppressive drug levels in liver transplant recipients: impact in decision making. *Seminars in Liver Disease* 2019;39(04):414-421[3]
  • Axelrod DA, Schnitzler MA, Alhamad T, et al. The impact of direct-acting antiviral agents on liver and kidney transplant costs and outcomes. *American Journal of Transplantation* 2018;18(10):2473-2482[3]
  • Elbeshbeshy H, Modi N, Patel T, et al. Outcomes of kidney, liver, and simultaneous liver and kidney transplants from hepatitis C infected donors to hepatitis C naïve recipients: A large single center experience. *Clinical Transplantation* 2024;38(1):e15161[4]
  • Nazzal M, Sun Y, Okoye O, et al. Reno-portal shunt for liver transplant, an alternative inflow for recipients with grade III–IV portal vein thrombosis: Tips for a better outcome. *International Journal of Surgery Case Reports* 2017;41:251-254[3]
  • Nazzal M, Madsen EC, Armstrong A, et al. Novel NMP split liver model recapitulates human IRI and demonstrates ferroptosis modulators as a new therapeutic strategy. *Pediatric Transplantation* 2022;26(2):e14164[3]
  • Nazzal M, Sur S, Steele R, et al. Establishment of a Patient‐Derived Xenograft Tumor From Hepatitis C–Associated Liver Cancer and Evaluation of Imatinib Treatment Efficacy. *Hepatology* 2020;72(2):379-388[3]
  • Haga Y, Bandyopadhyay D, Khatun M, et al. Increased expression of long non-coding RNA FIRRE promotes hepatocellular carcinoma by HuR-CyclinD1 axis signaling. *Journal of Biological Chemistry* 2024;300(5)[3]
  • Ghanem OM, Pita A, Nazzal M, et al. Obesity, organ failure, and transplantation: a review of the role of metabolic and bariatric surgery in transplant candidates and recipients. *Surgical Endoscopy* 2024;38(8):4138-4151[3]
  • Lentine KL, Lam NN, Xiao H, et al. Associations of pre-transplant prescription narcotic use with clinical complications after kidney transplantation. *American Journal of Nephrology* 2015;41(2):165-176[3]
  • Al Rub FA, Afsar RE, Fleetwood VA, et al. The diagnostic yield of genomic sequencing-based genetic kidney disease testing in kidney transplant candidates: experience at an urban US transplant center. *Transplantation* 2025;109(7):1201-1208[3]