Black (American) History Profile
Dr. Samuel Lee Kountz, Jr.
October 30, 1930 - December 23, 1981
​
​
Dr. Kountz was born in Lexa, Arkansas, in 1930, during the era of racial segregation. This systemic barrier made access to quality education and healthcare difficult. Dr.Kountz then earned a master’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. He went on to graduate from the University of Arkansas School of Medicine in 1958. Dr. Kountz’s passion for surgery grew during his residency at Stanford University. He specialized in kidney transplantation, a relatively new field of medicine at the time. During his residency, he participated in the first kidney transplant on the West Coast. This was the first of his many achievements.
​
In 1961, Dr. Kountz performed the first kidney transplant between non-identical twins. His success showed that transplantation beyond identical siblings is possible. In 1967, Dr. Kountz turned his attention to the donor kidney. He helped create a machine that preserved kidneys for about 28 hours after the removal from a donor. It gave professionals more time to get the kidney to the recipient. This innovation laid the foundation for future advancements. Today, NFK continues to invest in new technologies like this. In 2024, NKF’s innovation Fund supported 34 lives, a cutting-edge group that may further improve organ preservation.
​
In 1972, Dr. Kountz discovered steroids could help prevent kidney transplant rejection. Steroids suppress the immune system, making it less likely to attack the transplant. As the 70s continued, Dr. Kountz discovered a better way to match kidney donors and recipients. He studied human markers on cells that help the immune system identify what belongs in the body and what doesn’t. if a donor’s markers are too different from the recipient’s, the immune system may attack the transplant. Dr. Kountz’s research created the foundation for today’s tissue typing methods.
Dr. Kountz also raised awareness about organ donation. He performed a live kidney transplant on national television during an episode of the Today Show. This demonstration led to a surge in public interest. Over 2,000 people signed up to become donors after watching the live broadcast.
​
Dr. Kountz was a fierce advocate for underserved communities. In 1972, he moved to New York City. He acted as a professor, chair of a surgery center, and chief of surgery. His goal was to improve healthcare for the Black/African American community living there. He also mentored Black/African American students. His success proved it was possible to excel in medicine. He inspired countless young Black/African American students to do the same. Dr. Kountz passed away in 198 from an unspecified neurological disease. But his legacy lives on. He made scientific advancements that shaped current practices while breaking social barriers.
Dr. Kountz was an African American kidney transplantation surgeon from Lexa, Arkansas. He was most distinguished for his pioneering work in the field of kidney transplantation, as well as his research, discoveries, and inventions in Renal Science. In 1961, while working at the Stanford University Medical Center, he performed the first successful Kidney transplant between humans who were not identical twins. Six years later, he and a team of researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, developed the prototype for the Belzer kidney perfusion machine, a device that can preserve kidneys for up to 50 hours after they are removed from a donor's body. It is now standard equipment in hospitals and research laboratories worldwide.