Kenneth A. Bertram, MD, PhD

Adjunct Professor
Laboratory Medicine

UCSF
Department of Laboratory Medicine
513 Parnassus Avenue, Suite S-715
San Francisco, CA 94143
United States

Hospital Affiliations
UCSF Parnassus Heights
Research and Clinical Interests

My own research interests are focused on the bringing stem/stromal cells into the clinic to treat diseases which have an underlying or contributory immune system dysfunction as part of their pathology. This includes a wide range of diseases to include: diabetes, long COVID, Parkinson's Disease, and kidney disease.

In addition, I help investigators and companies to research, develop, and commercialize medical products that help our Service Members, Veterans, and their families. This includes drugs, devices, biologics, and blood products.

Selected Publications
  • Bertram K, Cox C, Alam H, Lowell C, Cuschieri J, Parekkadan B, Pati S. Insights from CTTACC: immune system reset by cellular therapies for chronic illness after trauma, infection, and burn. Cytotherapy. 2024 Jul;26(7):714-718. PMID: 38506768.
  • Carstens MH, García N, Mandayam S, Workeneh B, Pastora I, Calderón C, Bertram KA, Correa D. Safety of Stromal Vascular Fraction Cell Therapy for Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Cause (Mesoamerican Nephropathy). Stem Cells Transl Med. 2023 Jan 30;12(1):7-16. PMID: 36545894.
  • Carstens MH, Quintana FJ, Calderwood ST, Sevilla JP, Ríos AB, Rivera CM, Calero DW, Zelaya ML, Garcia N, Bertram KA, Rigdon J, Dos-Anjos S, Correa D. Treatment of chronic diabetic foot ulcers with adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction cell injections: Safety and evidence of efficacy at 1 year. Stem Cells Transl Med. 2021 Aug;10(8):1138-1147.  PMID: 33826245.
  • Carstens M, Trujillo J, Dolmus Y, Rivera C, Calderwood S, Lejarza L, Lopez C, Bertram K. Adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction cells to treat long-term pulmonary sequelae of coronavirus 2019: 12 month follow-up. Cryotherapy. 2024 Sep,26(9):1076-1083. PMID 38639670.
  • Carstens M, Martínez-Cerrato J, Garcia L, Rivera B, Bertram K. Safety of adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction cells to treat Parkinson's disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2025 Mar:132:107214. PMID: 39658493