Kristin L. Mekeel is a board-certified transplant surgeon who specializes in liver, kidney, and pancreas transplantation surgery in adults and children. She performs operations in patients with conditions such as chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, liver cancer and type 1 diabetes. 

Dr. Mekeel is the surgical director of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation at UC San Diego Health and the surgical director of Kidney Transplantation at Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego. Dr. Mekeel has performed over 500 kidney transplants and nearly 100 pancreas surgeries, and her expertise includes kidney retransplantation and other procedures for surgically challenging and complex transplant recipients. 

As professor in the Department of Surgery, Dr. Mekeel instructs medical students and residents in transplantation and surgery. She is a well-respected teacher and was awarded the faculty teaching award by surgical residents. Dr. Mekeel also participates in clinical research focusing on the outcomes of organ donation, kidney and pancreas transplantation, and hepatobiliary surgery.

She has co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed articles and her work has appeared in American Journal of Transplantation, American Journal of Gastroenterology and Journal of the American College of Surgeons, among others.

Outside of the operating room, Dr. Mekeel is involved in the leadership for the Center for Transplantation, including directing the Quality and Performance Improvement program. She is a champion of organ donation and transplantation both locally and nationally, and serves on the United Network of Organ Sharing Pediatric Committee. Dr. Mekeel is also a board member for the John Brockington Foundation, which raises money and awareness for transplantation and organ donation in San Diego.