Articles tagged with Transplantation
Researchers led by Dr. Nima Nassiri have successfully transplanted a human bladder for the first time, with patient Oscar Larrainzar thriving a year after the operation. The breakthrough procedure has paved the way for a new field of surgery and offers hope to patients with end-stage bladder disease.
Researchers successfully generated rat-derived kidneys in mice using interspecies blastocyst complementation, demonstrating potential for growing transplantable human organs in larger animals. The study represents an important step toward addressing global kidney shortages.
Transplant survival rates are improving thanks to medical and technical advances, including better organ preservation strategies and expanded donation criteria. However, the number of people needing transplants continues to exceed the available organs, particularly for kidneys.
A pioneering clinical trial demonstrates CAR T cells can safely desensitize highly sensitized patients, making kidney transplantation possible. Two patients with end-stage kidney disease successfully received kidney transplants after years of waiting.
A national cohort study found that living in high-segregation neighborhoods was associated with lower likelihood of live donor liver transplant (LDLT) access. Candidates from high-segregation neighborhoods with larger racial and ethnic minority populations had a lower likelihood of LDLT compared to those from white populations.
A new study found significant regional differences in access to donor lungs for lung transplants in the US, with western states having lower availability. The revised lung allocation policy may exacerbate these disparities, prioritizing proximity to donors over patient needs.
A new study by the University of Southampton has found that reusable catheters are just as safe for patients as single-use ones and do not increase the risk of urinary tract infections. The study followed hundreds of patients for a year and discovered that those who tested reusable catheters used 35 per cent fewer antibiotics.
Researchers developed an innovative hydrogel called Amniogel to support insulin-producing cells after transplantation, achieving normal blood sugar levels in diabetic mice for at least 100 days. This breakthrough opens the door to developing a bioartificial pancreas that could eliminate the need for insulin injections.
A single-center study demonstrates uterus transplant feasibility in multidisciplinary centers, supporting its use for women with absolute uterine factor infertility. Ongoing reporting and data sharing will refine risk estimates and optimize patient counseling.
Researchers at Rice Biotech Launch Pad are developing an encapsulation platform to protect transplanted pancreatic islet cells from immune attack. The approach aims to reduce scarring and inflammation, making it possible for people with Type 1 diabetes to manage their condition without long-term immunosuppression.
Experts at ISHLT's annual meeting explored how countries allocate heart transplants, with a focus on balancing competing priorities like saving the sickest patients and ensuring fairness. The discussion highlighted key differences in global allocation schemes, including France's data-driven model, which aims to prioritize patients base...
At the ISHLT meeting, experts discussed the use of robotic technology in lung transplantation, highlighting potential benefits such as improved recovery and expanded access to transplantation for frail patients. However, Dr. Hermann Reichenspurner presented counterpoints, emphasizing that current evidence does not demonstrate superior ...
Advances in pediatric heart care have increased survival rates, but a shortage of donor hearts means many children still die waiting. Experts urge a shift from 'perfect' donor hearts to carefully selected organs and technological innovations to expand the donor pool.
Partial heart transplantation replaces only defective valves and related structures, eliminating need for repeat replacements. This procedure can provide thousands of additional valve transplants annually, benefiting young patients worldwide.
Experts weigh the pros and cons of an upper age limit for lung transplants, citing concerns over organ shortage and quality of life. Some argue that setting a hard age limit ignores biological variability and comorbidities, while others suggest increasing donor supply and utilization could solve the issue.
Recent AI tools offer surgeons assistance in complex decision-making by analyzing donor hearts and providing a data-driven approach. This could lead to increased efficiency in the donor process, reducing the likelihood of hearts going unused due to time constraints.
The number of pediatric lung transplants is expected to decline as highly effective therapies for cystic fibrosis reduce the need for transplantation. Complex cases with multi-system disease and severe cardiopulmonary compromise are on the rise, requiring highly specialized teams and close collaboration.
A Canadian nephrologist shared common-sense, patient-centered solutions to address inequities in organ transplantation. His team co-developed practical approaches, including culturally safe spaces, navigation support, and storytelling through videos featuring Indigenous patients.
A new global allocation system is being proposed to address inequities in organ allocation for heart transplants. The proposal aims to reduce disparities and ensure no viable donor heart goes unused globally.
A new technique identifies proteins that trigger strong immune responses, challenging a common assumption in the field. The ratio of immunogenicity measurement reveals patterns among hundreds of proteins, highlighting mitochondrial proteins as particularly immunogenic.
The American Society of Hematology has published clinical practice guidelines for diagnosing and managing severe acquired aplastic anemia, a rare and life-threatening bone marrow failure disorder. The guidelines highlight the importance of shared decision-making between patients and providers, as well as the need for additional researc...
Dr. Yangzhi Zhu has been awarded a prestigious Career Development Award from the American Heart Association to support his research in translational biosensing and organ health assessment. The award aims to develop innovative sensing strategies for improving donor organ condition and supporting better clinical care.
Researchers used AI to analyze over 15,000 patient data and identified three major clusters of BSI patients with varying levels of severity. The study found that high-risk patients, particularly older male transplant recipients, were more susceptible to infections and had higher mortality rates.
A nationwide intervention has led to increased kidney transplants among Black patients, with a 5.3 transplant increase per 1,000 listings. The study found that wait time modifications, required by a national policy, resulted in a 1.7-year gain in priority status for Black candidates.
Researchers developed a spray shield that adheres to transplant organs using mussel-derived adhesive protein, reducing immune rejection and its side effects. This innovation enables targeted delivery of immunosuppressants directly to the transplanted site, increasing success rates in xenograft transplantation.
A Stanford Medicine-led study reveals that the US method for ranking children on heart transplant waitlists does not consistently prioritize the sickest patients. The current system fails to capture medical urgency, leading to higher waitlist mortality rates and potential unfair treatment of some patients.
Donation after circulatory death has become routine in the US, with organs from these donors used for multiple transplants. The number of circulatory-death donors increased significantly over 25 years, making them a major source of kidneys and livers.
Contemporary donation after circulatory death (DCD) donors are now at 44% of organ procurement organizations. DCD donations account for half of all deceased donors in the US, leading to increased reliance on these organs to maintain transplant access.
Researchers are developing an organ-on-a-chip platform to study immune rejection in pig-to-human liver transplantation, addressing a major hurdle in xenotransplantation. The project aims to generate data supporting future preclinical studies and bring xenotransplantation closer to clinical use.
A large registry study identifies a specific genetic mismatch linked to severe acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) after cord blood transplantation, tripling the risk of life-threatening complications. Researchers found that a particular HLA combination in donors and recipients increased aGVHD risk by threefold.
A cohort study of 3,230 kidney transplant recipients found that transplantation reverses declining employment income, enabling meaningful economic recovery. The findings highlight the socioeconomic value of transplantation and inform policies to support patients during pretransplant vulnerability.
Researchers developed a vascularized liver tissueoid-on-a-chip that recapitulates key structural, functional, and immunological features of human liver tissue. The platform enabled the study of liver regeneration and immune-mediated allograft rejection in a physiologically relevant human system.
The American Society of Hematology released guidelines for frontline and relapsed/refractory management of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in adolescents and young adults (AYAs), outlining optimal approaches to treating high-risk patient populations. The guidelines highlight the need for additional research on immunotherapies and tr...
The hospital achieved a 22-percent increase over its previous peak year, performing more pediatric liver and kidney transplants than any other in the nation. The team is also recognized as a leader in pediatric lung and heart transplantation, with exceptional post-transplant survival rates.
A new study offers hope that kidney transplant patients may one day have a more effective treatment regimen. The Phase 2 pilot study showed improved kidney functioning in all patients who completed the study, with no patients experiencing rejection due to antibodies produced by the immune system.
A new study has identified optimized immunosuppressive strategies that allow transplanted iPSC-CMs to survive without immune rejection in non-human primates. The researchers found a triple-drug regimen consisting of methylprednisolone, calcineurin inhibitors, and mycophenolate mofetil reliably prevents acute immune rejection.
Researchers at Lund University developed a universal method for creating cell-free cartilage structures that guide bone repair without triggering strong immune responses. The successful test in animal models paves the way for human trials and the potential to transform the future of bone transplantation.
The Vanderbilt Transplant Center achieved a record 960 solid organ transplants in 2025, saving 85 more patients than in 2024. The center's heart transplant team set a new world record for the second year in a row with 210 adult and pediatric heart transplants.
Researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys found that transplanted stem cells develop neurons with unique codes to navigate and form connections in the brain. These codes guide the growth of axons and explain why most neurons of a particular subtype send axons to specific brain regions.
Researchers identified the spleen as a key control center for transplant tolerance, triggering donor-specific regulatory T cells to calm the immune response. This targeted approach induces controlled, donor-specific state in T cells, preserving body's ability to fight infections while supporting long-term graft acceptance.
Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina are developing a new therapy for Type 1 diabetes that combines stem cell biology, immunology, and transplantation science. The goal is to restore beta cell function and insulin production in people with T1D without using immunosuppressive drugs.
Colectomy and liver transplantation alter disease behavior in IBD-Associated PSC, highlighting unique risks and challenges. PSC patients face heightened cancer risk after colectomy, while transplant reshapes risks of de novo IBD and recurrent PSC.
Despite challenges such as donor shortages and socioeconomic disparities, adult heart transplantation has achieved remarkable success in the US and Western Europe. The two regions have embraced different approaches to transplantation systems, shaped by cultural and political attitudes.
A new study by Nagoya University researchers found that laparoscopic surgery significantly reduces blood loss and improves jaundice recovery compared to traditional open surgery for treating biliary atresia. The study analyzed data from 356 children who had surgery at two months old, tracking their outcomes for an average of 13 years.
A new electronic application highlights discrepancies between parents and children's views on the child's well-being, providing powerful insight into how children truly cope. This approach has broad implications beyond transplant medicine and may reshape patient-reported outcomes for pediatric chronic illnesses.
A newly developed tool called the DILI-Inpt prognostic score can predict which hospitalized patients with severe idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury are unlikely to recover on their own. The scoring system outperformed existing systems in identifying patients at high risk of death and liver transplant need.
Researchers have made breakthroughs in overcoming immune reactions behind human rejection of transplanted pig kidneys, paving the way for more successful clinical trials. The study reveals three major immune responses against the pig kidney and identifies potential biomarkers as early-warning systems for rejection.
A new machine learning model predicts the time of death for organ donors, enabling more efficient liver transplants. The model outperformed surgeon judgment and reduced futile procurements by 60%, making the transplant process more efficient and potentially allowing more candidates to receive a transplant.
A UCLA Health study found that women continue to face barriers in accessing lung transplants despite recent national policy changes. The new Composite Allocation Score system aimed to improve fairness, but inequities persist, with women still 16% less likely to undergo transplantation.
Dr. Kathryn Colby, NYU Langone Health's chair of ophthalmology, has received the prestigious Castroviejo Medal for her pioneering work on Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy. Her research explores a new surgical procedure to stimulate corneal regeneration.
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine develop a new method to generate functional endothelial cells from adult tissue, potentially enabling vascular grafts and organ transplants. The approach involves using small molecules to trigger cell division without aging or losing function.
Researchers aim to determine if biomarkers can identify adults at risk of developing interstitial lung disease (ILD), a chronic condition that causes inflammation and scarring in the lung tissue. The approach could lead to the development of new, better treatments with more tolerable side effects.
A USC Stem Cell-led team has successfully generated lab-grown kidney structures, or organoids, that exhibit kidney-like functions such as blood filtration and urine production. The 'assembloids' achieved maturity levels comparable to newborn mouse kidneys, paving the way for developing new therapies for patients awaiting transplant.
A case series of 19 patients has successfully undergone partial heart transplant, enabling valve growth and representing a novel approach to congenital heart disease treatment. Careful follow-up and monitoring are crucial for the continued expansion of this procedure.
New research from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center shows that partial match transplants can achieve good outcomes with cyclophosphamide treatment. Additionally, lifestyle medicine is playing a pivotal role in improving patient outcomes for cancer survivors.
Vanderbilt researchers have developed a groundbreaking method for recovering donor hearts after circulatory death, offering similar outcomes to existing techniques but with greater simplicity and lower costs. The new rapid recovery with extended ultra-oxygenated preservation (REUP) technique has been successfully deployed in three tran...
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have discovered a novel tool to help stratify rejection risk in kidney transplantation. They found that mismatching SIRP-alpha between donors and recipients contributes to worse rejection, scarring, and graft failure in humans, suggesting improved transplant outcomes.
A new treatment approach using cyclophosphamide has been found to prevent most graft-versus-host disease in mismatched transplants. The study shows that 80% of patients are alive after a year, similar to outcomes seen in fully matched transplants.
Scientists at the University of Birmingham have developed a method to coat Hepatic Progenitor Cells (HPCs) with natural sugars, making them stickier and increasing their ability to repair liver tissues. The coating does not harm the cells or stop them from working properly.