The new Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratory launched its first phase of testing June 26 and ultimately will fully support clinical testing for the Vanderbilt Transplant Center, the nation’s third busiest transplant center by volume.

There are an estimated 166,000 patients with spina bifida in the US and over 50 percent of them are becoming adults. Spina bifida occurs among 1 in every 2,875 births in the US each year, according to the CDC. There are only 25 clinics in the nation solely dedicated to the care of adult patients with spina bifida.

At Vanderbilt University Hospital, a Level 1 trauma center, ED arrival volumes have increased 8% over last year. In response, there's a newly developed rapid follow-up program for patients who can be referred safely to outpatient clinics for evaluation and treatment. 

“I am incredibly fortunate to work under such an exemplary director,” wrote one nominator. “Ahmed’s leadership style is both inspiring and effective. He possesses a remarkable amount of professionalism and can create a motivating work environment while providing constructive feedback.”

Faced with great challenge and uncertainty, those who make up the department’s faculty have remained true to their mission and completed “outstanding, lifesaving work,” she said.

On a given day, the Vanderbilt Trauma Center may admit multiple gunshot and motor vehicle accident victims. For 27 years, across nearly 100,000 admissions, the Trauma Center’s physicians, nurses and staff have been treating patients arriving from a region covering 80,000 square miles.

The newly built facility, located at 8124 Sawyer Brown Road, provides a comprehensive suite of diagnostic imaging options.