After 15 years of distinguished leadership at Vanderbilt Health, Seth Karp, MD, the H. William Scott Jr. Professor of Surgery, will be stepping down as System Surgeon-in-Chief and Chair of the Section of Surgical Sciences on Oct. 15.

Most of the 27 participants were able to reach altitudes of more than 18,000 feet — exclusively personal bests. All participants were under close medical supervision.

The program performed 149 lung transplants in 2025, the most ever in one year at Vanderbilt Health, and is now the second largest lung transplant center in the U.S.

Williams helped lead the team that developed a method to preserve donor hearts for up to 12 hours — triple the typical four-hour window.

Vanderbilt Health's fourth lung transplant patient is thought to be the world's record holder for longevity following a single lung transplant.

Through dramatic growth, the VTC is now the largest transplant center in the country by volume, according to data from the United Network for Organ Sharing.

As in prior years, the success of Vanderbilt Health’s transplant program is a testament to the greatness of individuals and innovations alike and to the tremendous power of teamwork.