Dr. David Leeser is Assistant Professor of Surgery (Transplantation) at Weill Cornell Medical College and an Assistant Attending Surgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center. He is a nationally renowned board certified transplant surgeon who specializes in pancreas and kidney transplantation.
Dr. Leeser has a unique expertise in Auto-Islet Cell Transplantation which is used in the surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis to ensure that patients do not become diabetic after removal of the pancreas. He is the only transplant surgeon in the tri-state area to perform this procedure. Dr. Leeser also performs Islet Cell transplantation.
In addition, Dr. Leeser was part of the Weill Cornell transplant team that performed the nation's first three-way living-donor kidney transplant surgery chain that may revolutionize the organ transplant process in the United States and dramatically improve the opportunity for patients in need of kidney transplants to find a compatible donor.
Dr. Leeser also performs laparoscopic living donor enphrectomy, employing pioneering minimally-invasive techniques that result in a speedier recovery for donors.
Dr. Leeser was previously Chief of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He received his M.D. from Temple University School of Medicine and completed his internship in General Surgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. Dr. Leeser completed his residency and fellowship training at Temple University Hospital.
He completed his training in Abdominal Organ Transplantation at the University of Maryland in 2004.
Dr. Leeser is a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army Medical Corps, and has received many honors and awards during his career. During his time in the US Army, Lt. Colonel Leeser was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom on two separate occasions. He was decorated with the Bronze Star Medal and twice with the Army Commendation Medal. His other awards include the Army Achievement Award, the Iraqi Campaign Ribbon, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Ribbon, the National Defense Service Ribbon and the Army Service Ribbon.
Dr. Leeser is widely published in peer-reviewed journals and is a member of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, a Diplomat of the American Board of Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
