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Kimberly Kirkwood, M.D.

Kimberly Kirkwood, M.D.

  • Professor of Surgery
  • Division of Surgical Oncology

Contact Information

(415)-502-5577
(415)-502-2236 Fax
[email protected]
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Education

  • B.A., Reed College, 1981
  • M.D., University of Pennsylvania,  1985

Residencies

  • Massachusetts General Hospital, Resident, Surgery, 1986-88
  • Massachusetts General Hospital, Resident, Surgery, 1991-92
  • Massachusetts General Hospital, Chief Resident, Surgery, 1992-93

Fellowships

  • University of California, Los Angeles, Postdoctoral Fellow, Gastrointestinal Physiology, 1988-91

Board Certifications

  • American Board of Surgery, 1994, recertified 2014

Clinical Expertise

  • Benign Pancreatic Lesions
  • Biliary Tract Surgery
  • Gallbladder Surgery
  • Pancreatic Cancer
  • Stomach and Gastrointestinal Surgery

Website Links

Biography

Dr. Kimberly Kirkwood specializes in the treatment of pancreatic cancer as well as tumors of the stomach, spleen, gallbladder, bile duct and gastrointestinal tract. A skillful laparoscopic surgeon, she is an expert in applying minimally invasive techniques to treat abdominal tumors and has a particular interest in improving outcomes for patients after pancreas surgery.  Dr. Kirkwood is a member of the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Participates in Cancer Center Clinical Trials.

Dr. Kirkwood earned a medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania and completed a surgical residency and a fellowship in advanced general surgery with a focus on pancreatic surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital. She also completed a three-year surgical research fellowship at UCLA in hepatobiliary disease. Dr. Kirkwood is active in many national societies including the Pancreas Club, Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, Association for Academic Surgeons and she is on the Executive Council of the Society of University Surgeons. Her NIH-funded research focuses on pancreatic inflammatory pain and on the many factors which may improve outcomes for patients following resection of pancreatic tumors. 

Awards & Honors

  Award  
  Confired By    
  Date    
  • Excellence in Teaching Award
  • Inaugural, UCSF Department of Surgery Junior Residents
  • 2015
  • Excellence in Teaching Award
  • UCSF Department of Surgery Chief Residents
  • 2014
  • Excellence in Teaching Award
  • UCSF School of Medicine, Surgical Clerkship
  • 2013
  • Excellence in Teaching Award
  • UCSF Department of Surgery Chief Residents
  • 2012
  • AGA Student Abstract Prize (Victoria Lyo),
  • American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Foundation
  • 2010
  • Howard Hughes Research Fellowship (Victoria Lyo),
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute
  • 2010
  • Pancreas Club Warren Award (Victoria Lyo),
  • Pancreas Club
  • 2010
  • Kaiser Award for Excellence in Teaching Nomination
  • UCSF School of Medicine
  • 2010
  • Excellence in Teaching Award
  • UCSF Department of Surgery Chief Residents
  • 2008 - 2009
  • Excellence in Teaching Award
  • UCSF Department of Surgery Chief Residents
  • 2004
  • Kaiser Award for Excellence in Teaching Nomination
  • UCSF School of Medicine
  • 2004
  • Excellence in Teaching Award
  • UCSF Department of Surgery Residents
  • 2001
  • Kaiser Award for Excellence in Teaching Nomination
  • UCSF School of Medicine
  • 1999
  • Kaiser Award for Excellence in Teaching Nomination
  • UCSF School of Medicine
  • 1997
  • Claude E. Welch Research Fellowship Award
  • Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospita
  • 1989 - 1990
  • President, Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society
  • University of Pennsylvania Chapter
  • 1983
  • Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society
  • Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society
  • 1981
  • Walter Croll Scholarship
  • University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
  • 1981

    • Mentoring Overview

    Dr. Kirkwood specializes in treating pancreatic cancer as well as tumors of the upper gastrointestinal tract. She is an expert in applying minimally invasive techniques to treat abdominal tumors. She focuses on improving outcomes for patients after pancreas surgery and on understanding how pancreatic cancer develops at a cellular level. Dr. Kirkwood has mentored 43 predoctoral trainees and 24 postdoctoral fellows, and these individuals have been named first authors on 47 of her most recent 53 peer-reviewed publications. The majority of postdoctoral fellows pursue additional training in surgical oncology and hepato-pancreatobiliary surgery.

    Trainees in Dr. Kirkwood's lab generally focus on pancreatic cysts and pancreatic cancer. Her lab houses an extensive and clinically-annotated pancreatic biorepository, access to fresh tissue and biological fluids (cyst fluid, blood), and experimental mouse colonies. Dr. Kirkwood's long-standing collaboration with the department of pharmaceutical chemistry/experimental therapeutics program, enables trainees to pursue projects with laboratory and clinician scientist co-mentors that have a proven track record of success.

    Research & Funding

    Data provided by UCSF Profiles, powered by CTSI
    • Molecular Correlates of progression in pancreatic cystic neoplasms
      Sponsor:
      Sponsor ID:
      Funding Period:
      Jul 2015
      -
      Jun 2021
      Site Principal Investigator, UCSF
    • Minimally Invasive Classification of Pancreatic Cystic Neoplasms
      Sponsor:
      Sponsor ID:
      Funding Period:
      Nov 2017
      -
      Nov 2020
      Principal Investigator
    • Development of fluorogenic substrates for the diagnosis of pancreatic cysts
      Sponsor:
      Sponsor ID:
      Funding Period:
      Feb 2017
      -
      Jun 2018
      Principal Investigator
    • Non-invasive Differentiation of Benign Lesions from Aggressive Pancreatic Cancer
      Sponsor:
      Sponsor ID:
      Funding Period:
      Jan 2015
      -
      Dec 2016
      Co-Principal Investigator
    • Neural Regulation of Pancreatic Function
      Sponsor:
      Sponsor ID:
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      May 1994
      -
      Mar 2014
      Principal Investigator

    Clinical Trials

    Data provided by UCSF Profiles, powered by CTSI
    • Comparing Two Methods to Follow Patients With Pancreatic Cysts
      Study ID: NCT04239573
      Start Date: Jan 2020
      Estimated Completion Date: Dec 2027
      Condition(s): Pancreatic Cancer, Pancreatic Cyst
    • UCSF Panc Cyst Registry
      Study ID: NCT04291651
      Start Date: Oct 2019
      Estimated Completion Date: Jan 2030
      Condition(s): Pancreatic Cyst, Pancreatic Cancer, Pancreatic Diseases, Pancreatic IPMN, IPMN, Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous Cyst

    Publications

    MOST RECENT PUBLICATIONS FROM A TOTAL OF 62
    Data provided by UCSF Profiles, powered by CTSI
    1. Ashraf Ganjouei A, Romero-Hernandez F, Conroy PC, Miller PN, Calthorpe L, Wang JJ, Lin JJ, Feng J, Kirkwood KS, Alseidi A, Sarin A, Adam MA. A Novel Machine Learning Approach to Predict Textbook Outcome in Colectomy. Dis Colon Rectum. 2024 Feb 01; 67(2):322-332. View in PubMed
    2. Ashraf Ganjouei A, Romero-Hernandez F, Wang JJ, Casey M, Frye W, Hoffman D, Hirose K, Nakakura E, Corvera C, Maker AV, Kirkwood KS, Alseidi A, Adam MA. ASO Visual Abstract: A Machine-Learning Approach to Predict Postoperative Pancreatic Fistula after Pancreaticoduodenectomy Using only Preoperatively Known Data. Ann Surg Oncol. 2023 Nov; 30(12):7776-7777. View in PubMed
    3. Ashraf Ganjouei A, Romero-Hernandez F, Wang JJ, Casey M, Frye W, Hoffman D, Hirose K, Nakakura E, Corvera C, Maker AV, Kirkwood KS, Alseidi A, Adam MA. A Machine Learning Approach to Predict Postoperative Pancreatic Fistula After Pancreaticoduodenectomy Using Only Preoperatively Known Data. Ann Surg Oncol. 2023 Nov; 30(12):7738-7747. View in PubMed
    4. Calthorpe L, Romero-Hernandez F, Casey M, Nunez M, Conroy PC, Hirose K, Kim A, Kirkwood K, Maker AV, Corvera C, Nakakura E, Alseidi A, Adam MA. ASO Visual Abstract: National Practice Patterns in Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma-Updates in Management and Survival. Ann Surg Oncol. 2023 Aug; 30(8):5131. View in PubMed
    5. Calthorpe L, Romero-Hernandez F, Casey M, Nunez M, Conroy PC, Hirose K, Kim A, Kirkwood K, Maker AV, Corvera C, Nakakura E, Alseidi A, Adam MA. National Practice Patterns in Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma: Updates in Management and Survival. Ann Surg Oncol. 2023 Aug; 30(8):5119-5129. View in PubMed
    6. View All Publications

    Videos

    Data provided by UCSF Profiles, powered by CTSI
    1. SURVIVORS: Inspiring Hope for People with Pancreatic Cancer
    2. Survivors: Inspiring Hope for People with Pancreatic Cancer

    In the News

    • UCSF Department of Surgery Faculty Honored with Excellence in Teaching Awards

      UCSF Department of Surgery - Richard Barg - October 02, 2017
      The Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators presented seven Department of Surgery faculty with the Excellence in Teaching Award for 2017 at a ceremony on September 11th at the UCSF School of Nursing, held in conjunction with the Academy's induction of new members. The Academy's Excellence in Teaching Awards are peer-nominated, and honor outstanding front-line teachers of medical students, residents, and fellows who often go unrecognized. These teachers create and encourage an intellectually [...]

    • Point Break LIVE! Supports Pancreatic Cancer Research at UCSF

      UCSF General Surgery - July 31, 2010
      Point Break LIVE! - a stage adaptation of the 1992 cult classic film starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze, held its last San Francisco engagement on Saturday, July 31st. As a tribute to Patrick Swayze, who died of pancreatic cancer last year, donations were collected to benefit the work of Kimberly Kirkwood, M.D. (left) a pancreatic surgeon and investigator in the UCSF Division of General Surgery. Our thanks go out to the cast and crew of this raucous and uproarious show for their [...]

    • Surgical & Therapeutic Advances in Pancreatic Cancer

      UCSF Surgical Oncology Program - July 15, 2009
      For now, the only possible route to outliving pancreas cancer is complete removal of the tumor via surgery. Surgery for pancreas cancer is long and demanding, and surgeons must be practiced to consistently perform it well. Pancreas cancer surgery outcomes are better at high-volume, major medical centers such as UCSF, where surgeons can specialize - perfecting and maintaining skills and deepening their experience and judgment. UCSF surgeons Kimberly Kirkwood, M.D., and Eric Nakakura, M.D., [...]

    • New technology Leading to Earlier Diagnosis & New Surgical Approaches in Pancreatic Cancer

      UCSF General Surgery - May 27, 2009
      Pancreatic cancer can be a terrifying diagnosis. Dr. Kimberly Kirkwood, a Professor of Surgery at UCSF, was invited by the web portal, Patient Power, to discuss the latest diagnostic tools and  treatments for extending the lives of those diagnosed with this disease. Dr. Kirkwood is a pancreatic cancer specialist and gastrointestinal surgeon who specializes in the treatment of pancreatic cancer as well as tumors of the stomach, spleen, gallbladder, bile duct and gastrointestinal tract. 

     

     
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