Histocompatibility Committee

The Histocompatibility Committee applies evolving science and technology in transplant immunology to develop, implement, and inform OPTN bylaws, policies, and clinical guidance for organ donation and transplantation. The Committee provides subject matter expertise to the OPTN for issues related to testing, matching, allocation, personnel qualifications, and other issues in transplant histocompatibility and immunology. The Committee’s goals are to promote patient safety, to strive to continuously improve clinical outcomes, and maximize the use of donated organs.

Current projects

Review

Require Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Confirmatory Typing for Deceased Donors

Board approved and pending implementation

Update Post-Transplant Histocompatibility Data Collection

Implemented

Committee members

Chair

Dr. Gerald P Morris
Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics
Laboratory at UCSD

Vice Chair

Dr. Kelley M Hitchman
Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics
Lab/University Health System

Members	Position	End Date	Organization
Bobbie Rhodes-Clark	Region 6 Representative	6/30/2029	Vitalant-Spokane
Cathi Murphey	Visiting Board Member	6/30/2028	Southwest Immunodiagnostics
Crystal Usenko	Region 4 Representative	6/30/2027	Histocompatibility Laboratory at Scott and White Memorial Hospital
Darryl Nethercot	At Large	6/30/2027	Lifesharing - A Donate Life Organization
Gerald Morris	Chair	6/30/2027	Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratory at UCSD
Helene McMurray	Region 9 Representative	6/30/2027	Tissue Typing Laboratory at Strong Memorial Hospital
Hugo Kaneku	Region 3 Representative	6/30/2029	University of Miami Jackson Memorial Hospital Histocompatibility Testing
Jerome Saltarrelli	At Large	6/30/2028	Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center
Kelley Hitchman	Vice Chair	6/30/2027	Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Lab/University Health System
Kenneth Chavin	Visiting Board Member	6/30/2027	Temple University Hospital
Lakshmi Samidurai	Region 10 Representative	6/30/2028	Clinical Histocompatibility Lab at Ohio State University Medical Center
Michael Gautreaux	Region 11 Representative	6/30/2028	HLA/Immunogenetics Lab
Nicole Valenzuela	Region 1 Representative	6/30/2029	Nordx Immunogenetics Laboratory
Richelle Shi	Region 7 Representative	6/30/2029	General Public Region 7
Ryan Peña	At Large	6/30/2028	Tufts Medical Center Laboratory
Stephanie Osier	At Large	6/30/2027	UF Health Shands Hospital
Taba Kheradmand	At Large	6/30/2029	Transplant Immunology Laboratory at Montefiore Medical Center
Tiffany Bratton	Region 8 Representative	6/30/2028	Histocompatibility Laboratory at Iowa Methodist Medical Center
Tim Wellerritter	Region 5 Representative	6/30/2028	Mayo Clinic in Arizona Histocompatibility Laboratory

Meeting summaries

Reports to the Board of Directors

Date Last Reviewed:

July 2026

Parents: don’t struggle alone