OneLegacy, the nonprofit organ, eye, and tissue procurement organization serving seven counties across Southern California, celebrates the extraordinary career and contributions of Dr. Gabriel Danovitch, who is retiring from his role as Medical Director after over two decades with OneLegacy, while simultaneously receiving one of the most prestigious honors of his career: The Transplantation Society’s 2026 Medawar Prize.

Recognized by The Transplantation Society as the world’s highest dedicated award for outstanding contributions in the field of transplantation, the Medawar Prize honors investigators whose work has had a profound influence on organ transplantation worldwide. Established in honor of Society co-founder Sir Peter Medawar, the prize has been awarded biennially since 1990 to some of the most influential figures in transplant medicine and science.

For OneLegacy, Dr. Danovitch’s recognition also celebrates the exceptional medical leadership he has brought to the organization and the Southern California donation and transplantation community as Medical Director.

“Dr. Danovitch’s extraordinary career represents the very highest standard of transplant medicine, and OneLegacy has been privileged to flourish under his expertise, leadership, and commitment to patients and donor families,” said Prasad Garimella, CEO of OneLegacy. “Receiving the Medawar Prize is a remarkable and well-deserved recognition of his contributions to transplantation around the world. As he concludes his service as OneLegacy’s Medical Director, we celebrate not only this extraordinary honor, but the lasting impact his leadership has had on our organization and our ability to save and heal lives.”

As OneLegacy’s Medical Director and a contributing Advisory Board member for more than twenty years, Dr. Danovitch has both directly and indirectly contributed to many organizational accomplishments. During his tenure, OneLegacy opened both the Redlands Transplant and Recovery Center and the Azusa Transplant and Recovery Center. These facilities introduced the medical community to in-house recoveries at organ procurement organizations, which has now become the gold standard of organ recovery.

During his time at OneLegacy, Dr. Danovitch brought international expertise to the organization’s work to advance organ donation, improve clinical practice, and increase the number of organs available for lifesaving transplantation. The esteemed nephrologist participated in thousands of cases, resulting in 8,954 donors recovered, 25,499 organs transplanted, and an 81% transplantation rate at OneLegacy during his tenure as medical director.

For many years, Dr. Danovitch also led UCLA’s renowned Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program, helping build one of the nation’s leading transplant programs while mentoring generations of transplant physicians. His academic work includes more than 200 original articles and 50 book chapters. His Handbook of Kidney Transplantation, now in its seventh edition and translated into multiple languages, has become an important resource for clinicians entering the field.

His influence has extended well beyond Southern California. Dr. Danovitch has served in leadership roles with the American Society of Transplantation, United Network for Organ Sharing, and The Transplantation Society, and is a founding member of the Custodian Group of the Declaration of Istanbul on Organ Trafficking and Transplant Tourism, an international effort addressing organ trafficking and transplant tourism.

His receipt of the Medawar Prize comes after decades of recognition from the transplant and medical communities. His previous honors include the American Society of Transplantation’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Kidney Foundation’s Excellence in Kidney Transplantation Award, UCLA’s Mellinkoff Award, and his designation as an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.

“It has been a privilege for me to be associated with OneLegacy and its marvelous staff for over two decades,” says Dr. Danovitch. “It is an extraordinary organization that takes the tragedy of sudden death and turns it into a life force in a manner that gives years of health to long-suffering patients with organ failure and gives solace to grieving families.”

As OneLegacy continues to advance clinical innovation and excellence across the donation and transplantation system, Dr. Danovitch’s legacy will remain part of the organization’s commitment to combining world-class medical expertise with the generosity of donor families to save and transform more lives.

About OneLegacy

As the largest organ and tissue recovery organization in the country by population, OneLegacy enables nearly 2,000 organ transplants and nearly 150,000 tissue transplants each year by serving more than 200 hospitals, 8 transplant centers, and a diverse population of over 20 million people throughout seven counties in Southern California. More information on OneLegacy or on becoming a donor is available at www.onelegacy.org.

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