Mark L. Barr, MD, co-director of Keck Medicine of USC’s Transplant Institute, has been elected to the board of directors for the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) for a two-year term starting in July 2022.

UNOS is the independent, non-profit organization that, under contract with the federal government, manages the nation’s organ transplant system. The organization develops national organ allocation policy; monitors member compliance with federally established policies and bylaws; performs peer-review based performance improvement for all transplant centers and organ procurement organizations in the nation; runs the electronic organ matching platform; and is involved with public outreach, education, legislation and advocacy.

Barr, who is also an associate professor of surgery with the Keck School of Medicine of USC, is the first representative from the university to serve on the UNOS board since 1993. He brings over 20 years of health care public policy experience to the position, including his time as chair of the Advisory Committee on Transplantation at the Department of Health and Human Services throughout the Obama administration. In his new role with UNOS, Barr will represent surgical and medical professionals, hospitals, patients and transplant organizations in Region 5, which includes Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.

“Public policy work is a way to make a meaningful difference for the American health care system and countless patients,” said Barr. “UNOS is truly the most sophisticated organization for organ allocation and transplant data collection in the world, and I am very honored to have been elected to serve on the board after volunteering for many years on a variety of their committees.”

— Lex Davis