
Dr. Maria Gomez
Director, National Regulatory Center for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues, UAE
Ministry of Health and Prevention, UAE
Dr. Gomez holds a Master's degree in Donation & Transplantation of Organs, Tissues, and Cells from Barcelona University. With 26 years of experience, she has been at the forefront of driving change in organ donation and transplant programs globally.
Currently, Dr. Gomez serves as the Director of the National Regulatory Center for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues at the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention. Additionally, she acts as an advisor for organ, tissues, and cells donation and transplantation at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and tissue donation policy group at World Health Organisation (WHO). Dr. Gomez also holds the position of councillor at the International Society for Organ Donation and Procurement (ISODP) and leads the ISODP working group on "Education in Organ Donation” and Member of the Women in Transplantation Working group Pillar III.
Dr. Gómez has held executive positions in prominent organizations within the field of organ donation and transplantation, including the Donation and Transplantation Institute (DTI Foundation) in Barcelona, Spain, Outcomes Australia in Sydney, and as the former Medical Director at Eurofins Transplant Diagnostics in Europe. During her tenure as DTI's Executive Director, Dr. Gomez oversaw the implementation of leading practices in organ donation across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the Caribbean region. She also played a key role in the design and execution of various European Commission-funded projects in organ donation, such as ODEQUS (Organ Donation European Quality System) and ODISSeA (Organ Donation Innovative Strategies for Southeast Asia).
As the former National Transplant Director in Colombia, Dr. Gómez successfully led and managed the National Organ Donation and Transplant System, effecting transformative changes and achieving a remarkable 60% improvement over a three-year period.
Dr. Gomez previously served as a member of the NSW Implementation Advisory Group for Increasing Organ Donation in New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. During her tenure as the Acting Director of the Organ Donation for Transplantation Unit and her involvement in the steering committee for Organ Donation at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA) in Sydney, she played a pivotal role in developing the Sydney Local Health District Organ Donation for Transplantation Plan 2014-2017. Dr. Gomez also spearheaded the implementation of leading practices in organ donation within RPA Hospital.
Furthermore, Dr. Gómez is an active member of The Transplantation Society (TTS), the European Society for Organ Transplant (ESOT), and the European Donation and Transplant Coordination Organization (EDTCO) and the International Society for Organ Procurement (ISODP). She served as an observer member of the Council of Europe for Organ Donation during 2012 and 2013, and she held the position of DTI’s Medical Director from 2008 to 2013.
Dr. Gómez has authored book chapters and articles within her field of expertise. Notable publications include "The Role of the Transplant Coordinator" in the book titled "Brain Death, Organ Donation, and Transplantation: How to Make Real the Immense Gift of a New Life" published by Oxford University Press. Additionally, she has contributed to "Transplant Procurement Management" in the fourth edition of the "Transplant Coordination Manual" by TPM Barcelona. Dr. Gómez serves as a guest professor in the master's degree program in Organ Transplantation at Barcelona University and as a professor in various International Transplant Procurement Management courses offered by the Donation and Transplantation Institute.
Moreover, Dr. Gómez harbors a keen interest in quality assurance within healthcare. She holds certification as an ISO 9001:2015 IRCA external auditor from the International Register of Certificated
Auditors. Dr. Gómez has taken the lead and actively participated in numerous organ donation hospital audits. Additionally, she is an alumna of the Harvard Women Leadership Forum in 2024.