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Transplant services

When an organ is compromised by trauma or begins to fail, a transplant may be the most suitable treatment. Transplants involve removing a healthy organ or tissue from a donor to replace a diseased organ, blood or bone marrow in a recipient.

Wichita Kidney Transplant Institute

Wichita Kidney Transplant Institute is a location of Research Medical Center’s Transplant Institute in Kansas City.

The Wichita Kidney Transplant Institute offers referring physicians and their patients access to high-quality, specialized kidney transplant services close to home.

Schedule An Appointment

To schedule an appointment, please call.

Comprehensive kidney transplant services

Patients who need to be evaluated by a transplant surgeon and transplant nephrologist for the consideration of a kidney transplant are seen by Research Medical Center physicians at the Wichita Kidney Transplant Institute, which also provides pre- and post-transplant care. Kidney transplant surgeries take place at Research Medical Center in Kansas City.

Clinic staff coordinates each patient’s care through the clinical, compliance, financial and emotional aspects of kidney transplantation.

Living donor program

Research Medical Center’s Transplant Institute has an active and growing living donor program and kidney paired exchange program. Both programs have been extended to the Wichita location to increase the availability of services for living donors who choose to make a life-saving donation .

The Wichita Kidney Transplant Institute accepts most health plans and Medicare. Research Medical Center offers an apartment at a reasonable cost on the hospital campus for family members of transplant patients.

The clinic is located on the fifth floor of Health Strategies Plaza, 551 N. Hillside.

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Transplant Center Research

Transplant research & clinical trials.

Emory Transplant Center’s core mission is to provide quality care for patients in need of organ transplants while offering access to the most advanced transplant technology. That mission extends beyond the care of patients presenting today, and includes improvement of the therapies available for future patients. As such, Emory Transplant Center has an exceptionally active research and development program that is seamlessly integrated into our clinical program.

Our research program has earned an international reputation for clinical excellence and medical breakthroughs. Follow the links below to learn more about our research program, including highlights and our outstanding faculty.

Discovery & Translational Research

Emory is at the forefront of discovery and translational research pursuing studies that translate to the patient bedside. Read more about our most notable projects.

Biorepository

The Emory Transplant Center Biorepository for Translational Science (ETC Biorepository) contributes to the improvement of transplant outcomes by supporting Emory researchers in their basic, translational and clinical research studies.

Research Highlights

Emory researchers have made significant strides in the field of transplantation. Follow this link to learn more about how Emory researchers are helping patients.

The breadth and scope of our research is conducted by a team of 48 faculty who include basic scientists and clinical researchers across departments ranging from surgery to medicine to pediatrics.

Transplant Services at UW Medical Center - Montlake

Make an appointment, clinic hours.

If at any point your symptoms worsen or you feel like you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or proceed to the nearest emergency room.

Ramasamy Bakthavatsalam M.B.B.S.

Medical specialties, appointments.

Renuka Bhattacharya M.D.

Christopher D. Blosser M.D.

Iris Camille C. De Castro M.D.

Andre A.s. Dick M.D., MPH

Jeffrey D. Edelman M.D.

Medical specialty.

Catherine E. Kling, MD, MPH

Erika D. Lease, MD, FCCP

Nicolae Leca M.D.

Ajit P. Limaye M.D.

Iris W. Liou M.D.

Michael S. Mulligan MD

Preethi pirlamarla, md.

Stephen C. Rayhill M.D.

Lena Sibulesky M.D.

Mark Sturdevant, MD

Melissa m. timm a.r.n.p., d.n.p..

Lei Yu M.D.

Services available at this location include:.

• Heart and lung transplantation
• Kidney and pancreas transplantation
• Liver transplantation

Patient Resources

• Billing and insurance
• Preparing for your appointment
• Interpreter services
• Patient forms

Introducing MyChart Patient Portal

We’ve merged our patient portals to provide a secure and easy way to manage your health and billing records and schedule appointments all in one place...called MyChart.

Health News You Can Use

Complete transplant care backed by the expertise and research of uw medicine.

Transplant Services at UW Medical Center - Montlake combines the clinical, academic and research activities of the transplantation and cardiothoracic surgery divisions at UW Medicine.

Our board-certified surgeons perform most of the multi-organ procurements in Washington, Alaska, Montana and northern Idaho. We’re organized around the following multidisciplinary clinical teams, all of which provide transplant care with compassion, integrity and respect for individual dignity: heart transplantation, kidney-pancreas transplantation, liver transplantation, lung transplantation, intestinal transplantation and reconstructive transplantation (face, hand, abdominal wall).

Through Seattle Children's, we offer pediatric kidney, liver and heart transplantation services. at UW Medical Center - Montlake also offers programs in autologous bone marrow transplants and high-dose chemotherapy. 

Learn more about UW Medicine Transplant Care . 

Driving Directions

Note : Please plan extra travel time for building construction and road closures.

Learn more about the building construction .

UW Medical Center is at 1959 N.E. Pacific St., Seattle, WA 98195. See map .

From Interstate 5:   

• Take Exit No. 168B (Bellevue /Kirkland) onto State Route 520. 
• Take the first exit off SR 520 to Montlake Boulevard. 
• Turn left onto Montlake Boulevard and continue north across the Montlake Bridge.
• At the traffic light ahead, two lanes will turn left onto N.E. Pacific Street. You'll want to be in the right of those two left-turn lanes.
• From N.E. Pacific Street, turn right at the second "Patient Parking" directional sign onto N.E. Pacific Place, then immediately turn right into the Triangle Parking Garage, connected to the medical center via a pedestrian tunnel.
• OR you can access the Surgery Pavilion Garage by turning left at stop sign just past the Emergency Department entrance.

From the East via State Route 520 Westbound:

• Exit at Montlake Boulevard and continue north across the Montlake Bridge.

Public Transit

UW Medical Center – Montlake is served by many King County Metro Transit bus lines. Use Metro's Trip Planner  to learn which buses can get you to the medical center.

Parking Directions

Triangle garage.

The Triangle Garage is located underground, across N.E. Pacific Street from UW Medical Center – Montlake. Enter from N.E. Pacific Place, one block west of Montlake Boulevard. A pedestrian tunnel leads from the garage to the third (main) floor of UW Medical Center – Montlake.

The garage has 475 parking stalls. Parking staff work from 6:00 am to 1:00 am Monday through Friday, and from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday. Valet parking is available on the upper level of the garage from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Regular parking fees apply.

Pay as you leave. Garage parking is free on Sundays, and after hours parking is available. The garage has a vehicle height restriction of 6-feet, 8 inches. Reach the Triangle Garage at 206.598.3460 .

Surgery Pavilion Garage

The Surgery Pavilion Garage is primarily for surgery patients and their visitors. Access the lot from N.E. Pacific Street, and turn left at the stop sign after passing the UW Medical Center Emergency Department entrance.

Disability parking is located on all three parking levels, although Level P1 has limited availability for oversized vehicles. Maximum vehicle height is 9-feet-6-inches on Level P1 and 6-feet-7-inches on Levels P2 and P3.

Garage hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and closed on weekends. Pay the attendant as you leave. Hours are subject to UW’s special events calendar and schedule. After-hours parking is not available in the Surgery Pavilion Garage. Reach the garage at 206.598.0892 .

Patient/Visitor Parking Rates

UW Medical Center parking lots are available to patients and visitors. Discount coupons, available at clinics and nurses’ stations, enable parking at these rates:

• 0–30 minutes: Free
• 31–60 minutes: $4
• 1–1.5 hours: $6
• 1.5–2 hours: $8
• Over 2 hours: $10
• Daily maximum with a UWMC - Montlake patient discount coupon: $10
• Daily maximum without patient discount coupon: $18

Rates are subject to change annually in July.

Walking Directions

UW Medical Center – Montlake's main entrance and its parking facilities enable easy access for all visitors. Disability parking is available at the Triangle and Surgery Pavilion garages, and valet service is available at the front entrance of the medical center.

Masks Strongly Recommended but Not Required in Maryland, Starting Immediately

Due to the downward trend in respiratory viruses in Maryland, masking is no longer required but remains strongly recommended in Johns Hopkins Medicine clinical locations in Maryland. Read more .

• Vaccines  
• Masking Guidelines
• Visitor Guidelines  

Comprehensive Transplant Center

Our team of physicians and scientists in the Comprehensive Transplant Center continue to make ground-breaking discoveries in the effectiveness and advancements of organ transplantation. These medical discoveries make a difference in patient lives and the future of medicine.

The Johns Hopkins Transplant Research Center

The Johns Hopkins Transplant Research Center (TRC) is a multidisciplinary research partnership between the Department of Medicine's Division of Infectious Diseases and the Department of Surgery's Division of Transplantation.

Research Labs

Christian merlo lab.

Principal Investigator:   Christian Merlo, M.D., M.P.H. Work in the Christian Merlo Lab includes studies on pulmonary arteriovenous malformations, outcomes in lung transplantation and treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF), and HIV-related pulmonary disease. We have studied methods of diagnosing and managing pulmonary arteriovenous malformations as well as the outcomes of adult CF patients who are infected with multiple antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Our recent research has also explored recipient and donor variables in the success or failure of lung transplants, and ways in which national healthcare delivery systems impact lung transplant outcomes for CF patients. Research Areas: cystic fibrosis, pulmonary arteriovenous malformations, HIV, lung disease, lung transplant

Christine Durand Lab

Principal Investigator:   Christine Durand, M.D. Dr. Christine Durand, assistant professor of medicine and oncology and member of the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, is involved in clinical and translational research focused on individuals infected with HIV and hepatitis C virus who require cancer and transplant therapies. Her current research efforts include looking at outcomes of hepatitis C treatment after solid organ transplant, the potential use of organs from HIV-infected donors for HIV-infected solid organ transplant candidates, and HIV cure strategies including bone marrow transplantation. Dr. Durand is supported by multiple grants: - R01 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to study HIV-to-HIV organ transplantation in the US. - K23 from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to study antiretroviral therapy during bone marrow transplant in HIV-1 infection. - U01 from the NIAID to study HIV-to-HIV deceased donor kidney transplantation. - U01 from the NIAID to study HIV-to-HIV deceased donor liver transplantation. Research Areas: Bone Marrow Transplantation, transplants, infectious disease, AIDS, HIV, Solid Organ Transplantation, hepatitis C

Duvuru Geetha Lab

Principal Investigator:   Duvuru Geetha, M.B.B.S. Dr. Geetha’s team focuses on renal diseases in patients with systemic vasculitis as well as BK virus nephropathy in patients who have undergone renal transplant. Our studies include clinical trials on the effectiveness of rituximab versus cyclosporine in treating idiopathic membranous nephropathy and a multinational study of belimumab with azathioprine for maintaining remission of granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis. We also have conducted research on the treatment of ANCA vasculitis, particularly in kidney transplant patients. Research Areas: granulomatosis with polyangiitis, kidney diseases, vasculitis, kidney transplants, Glomerulonephritis, nephrology

Edward Kraus Lab

Principal Investigator:   Edward Kraus, M.D. Dr. Kraus’ team investigates the factors that impact the long-term success or failure of kidney transplants as well as barriers to nephrology care and transplants in minority populations. We research many topics dealing with kidney transplant rejection, including diagnostic criteria, infection risk and incompatibility factors. Our lab also has a longstanding interest in pancreas transplants and has conducted research to establish guidelines for diagnosing antibody-mediated rejection of pancreas allografts-updated Banff grading schema. Research Areas: kidney transplants, nephrology, health disparities, pancreas transplants

Jonathan Orens Lab

Principal Investigator:   Jonathan Orens, M.D. Research in the Jonathan Orens Lab examines topics such as clinical outcomes of lung transplantation, chronic allograft rejection and ischemic reperfusion injury, also known as primary graft dysfunction. Research Areas: ischemia-reperfusion injury, chronic allograft rejection, pulmonary medicine, lung transplant

Lonny Yarmus Lab

Principal Investigator:   Lonny Yarmus, D.O. Clinical trials conducted in the Lonny Yarmus Lab focus primarily on minimally-invasive diagnostic testing for patients with lung cancer and local therapy options for malignant airway obstructions. We investigate ways to improve the early diagnosis of lung cancer, as well as the treatment of later-stage cancer, using the least invasive methods possible. We are also part of the LIBERATE clinical study for patients who have difficulty breathing and suffer from severe emphysema. Research Areas: emphysema, interventional pulmonology, airway stenosis, minimally-invasive diagnostic testing, lung cancer, central airway obstructions, lung transplant

Nada Alachkar Lab

Principal Investigator:   Nada Alachkar, M.D. Dr. Alachkar's research focuses on recurrent glomerular diseases post kidney transplantation. In particular, she has been studying recurrent FSGS post kidney transplant in several, partially NIH funded, prospective research projects that focuses on circulating factors associate with recurrent FSGS and new therapies of recurrent FSGS; in addition to the outcome of the disease. Also, Dr. Alachkar is the Chair of Banff recurrent GN working group that focus on the pathological changes of recurrent GN. Dr. Alachkar's other research focus is incompatible living and diseases donor transplant. She has several ongoing research studies that focus on AMR and the outcome of patients with positive donor specific antibodies. Research Areas: Focal segmental glomerular sclerosis in the transplanted kidney, Recurrent glomerular diseases post kidney transplant, Incompatible kidney transplant

Pali Shah Lab

Principal Investigator:   Pali Shah, M.D. Research in the Pali Shah Lab focuses on lung transplants. Specifically, we’re interested in chronic rejection and quality and safety as they relate to lung transplants. Research Areas: health care quality, pulmonary medicine, safety, lung transplant

• Challenge: solving the kidney donor shortage
• Solution: living donation
• The bigger picture
• What is kidney disease?
• Why get a transplant?
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• Purchase education
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• Special initiatives
• Past talks, panels & guest presentations

Transplant Research and Education Center (TREC)

• More people are inspired and educated about kidney transplantation and living donation
• Patient-centered health measures for transplant have been designed and implemented nationally
• Racial disparities in transplant are being reduced across the country
• More transplants, especially living donor transplants, are occurring
• Medication adherence rates after kidney transplant have increased

• Students & Professionals

Transplant Clinical Research Center at Columbia

Our Studies  |  Our Investigators  |  Our Team  |  Donate  |  Networks  |  Careers  |  Contact Us

The Transplant Clinical Research Center (TCRC) at Columbia is a multi-organ research center with the goal of conducting clinical research to improve the lives of patients with organ failure and transplant recipients. 

• Creating a stimulating scientific environment that is both dynamic and productive
• Facilitating collaborative research
• Providing support for research career development
• Helping to develop and maintain unique core resources relevant to the transplant research community
• Helping to organize and support collaborative level grant applications, especially for the development of junior clinician-scientists, including  independent investigator, program project and center grants​
• Initiating and taking part in the research studies that will improve the lives of transplant patients

Our Studies

Basic and translational research collaborations.

TCRC investigators collaborate with the clinical and translational community throughout Columbia University.

• The Columbia University Institute for Genomic Medicine
• The Columbia University Center for Translational Immunology
• The Columbia University Tabas Laboratory
• The Columbia University Schwabe Laboratory

Studies by Disease State

• Liver Cancer
• Liver disease
• Liver transplant
• Hepatic Encephalopathy
• Liver Failure

Interested in learning more about our studies? Email us at: [email protected]

Our Investigators

Amanda Cantor, MD, MA

Jean C. Emond, MD

Alyson N. Fox, MD, MS

Dana Goldner, MD

Tomoaki Kato, MD

Steven J. Lobritto, MD

Mercedes Martinez, MD

Abhishek Mathur, MD

Lorna M. Dove, MD, MPH

Marcus Pereira, MD, MPH

Lloyd Ratner, MD, MPH

Rajani Sharma, MD, MPH

Megan Sykes, MD, MA

Elizabeth C. Verna, MD, MS

Julia J. Wattacheril, MD, MPH

Joshua Weiner, MD

Elizabeth Verna, MD, MS Medical Director

Thresiamma Lukose, Pharm.D. Director of Clinical Research Operations

Amanda Alonso Director of Clinical Trials

Regulatory & Finance Team

Khady Ndour Program Manager for Research Compliance and Quality

Valerie Storfer Program Manager of Budget and Operations

Grace Bayona Regulatory Coordinator

Elaine Martinez Research Assistant

Dan Lien Regulatory Assistant

Research Coordination Team

Geena George Senior Research Coordinator

Bo Lu Senior Research Coordinator

Olivia Wooford-Berry Senior Clinical Research Coordinator

Matthew Ford Clinical Research Coordinator

John Janosevic Clinical Research Coordinator

Angela Sanchez Clinical Research Coordinator

Rebecca Yeh Clinical Research Coordinator

Zane Bekheet Research Assistant

Everald Howell Research Assistant

Rachel Nuccitelli Research Assistant

Brendan Blackburn Clinical Research Coordinator

Nayda Pichardo Fernandez Clinical Research Coordinator

Dominique Piquant Clinical Research Coordinator

If you would like to contribute donations to our ongoing research, click on the links below or contact our office.

https://www.givenow.columbia.edu/

• The Liver Cirrhosis Network (LCN) brings together 10 leading institutions with expertise in caring for patients with cirrhosis.
• Functional Assessment in Liver Transplantation is a multicenter NIH study to learn about effects of “frailty” in patients with liver disease on their health outcomes.
• The INTEGRATE Collaborative is a highly diverse investigative team that seeks to define factors influencing referral and waitlisting for early liver transplant for alcohol related liver disease, identify which biopsychosocial factors are causally related and predictive of outcomes, and determine how integrated care among the healthcare team influences outcomes
• Starzl Network for Excellence in Pediatric Transplantation is a network of pediatric transplant institutions committed to continuous improvement until every child can achieve a long and healthy life.
• The Society of Pediatric Liver Transplantation (SPLIT)’s mission is to improve outcomes in children receiving liver transplantation through research, improving care, training and mentoring, and supporting children and families.
• Transplanting Hepatitis C Kidneys Into Negative Kidney Recipients  (THINKER-NEXT)'s goal of the THINKER-NEXT study is to make more kidneys available for transplant.
• Target RWE is redefining and revolutionizing the generation and delivery of real-world evidence.

JOIN OUR TEAM!

Click here to see open positions!

Email: [email protected] Phone: (212) 305-3839

Laboratories

Murakami Lab

Kasinath Lab

Congratulations to Xiaofei Li on being promoted to Instructor!

Congratulations to Sungwook Jung on being promoted to Instructor!

Happy Holidays from the Transplant Research Center!

JAMIL AND REZA FROM THE TRANSPLANTATION RESEARCH CENTER RECEIVING THE BRIGHAM IGNITE AWARD

FEATURED EVENTS

March 17, 2022, transplantation as the center of the universe.

In this inaugural lecture of the Virtual Transplantation Seminar Series hosted by the Transplantation Research Center at BWH, Dr. Allan D. Kirk provides a broad overview of transplant research as an example of broadly applicable, multidisciplinary science. In reviewing the challenges and accomplishments of the transplant community, Dr. Kirk presents transplantation biology as an effective vehicle for young investigators to take into innumerable domains of contemporary scientific investigation.

November 19, 2021

A second chance to live: a historical perspective on the first successful kidney transplant, june 15, 2021, from the discovery of the first angiogenesis inhibitors to the development of controlled drug delivery systems and the foundation of tissue engineering, reza abdi, md, professor of medicine, harvard medical school director, transplantation research center staff physician, renal division, brigham & women’s hospital.

Dr. Robert Langer, Sc.D.

Institute professor at mit.

MERRILL ARCHIVE

Archival images courtesy of Brigham and Women’s Hospital Archives and the Harvard Medical Library in the Countway Library of Medicine

Home / Care & Treatment / Nephrology & Hypertension

Kidney Transplant

Long history of excellence for capital region residents.

Albany Medical Center's transplant program has a long history of experience and expertise at every level, with physicians who specialize in kidney transplants. Since 1969, our kidney transplant program has received numerous accolades and is among the top-ranking programs in the nation. We take a collaborative multidisciplinary approach to caring for transplant recipients to achieve successful outcomes for our patients and provide support, before, during and after a transplant.

We have performed close to 3,000 kidney transplants.

In addition to our long history of expertise, we offer:

• Cooperative efforts between surgical, anesthesiology, nephrology, endocrinology, and infectious disease specialists
• Excellent outcomes in recipients of organ transplants
• Dedicated transplant unit and staff

To learn more about joining the kidney transplant program at Albany Medical Center, call 518-262-5614. Before a formal evaluation appointment, you must complete any necessary tests and attend an educational seminar. Test results can be forwarded via fax at 518-262-5571.

Patients being considered for a kidney transplant must complete a comprehensive medical and psychosocial evaluation. Patients must be healthy enough for transplant surgery and follow-up.

Patients eligible for transplant are placed on a donor list for our region. When a match comes from a donor who has died, patients are called on short notice for a transplant.

A match can also come from someone who chooses to donate a healthy kidney, called a living donor. More than 500 family members and friends have donated a kidney to a loved one at Albany Medical Center in the past 40 years.

A successful kidney transplant may allow you to live a longer and more normal life. In most cases, patients will remain on immunosuppressant drugs which take strict monitoring.

View our transplant surgery educational videos .

Donating a kidney to someone you care for is one of the greatest gifts. We view living donation with the utmost respect and have a strong commitment to the safety and wellbeing of every potential donor in our program.

What are some of the advantages of living donors vs. cadaveric donor transplants?

• Decreased incidence of kidney rejection due to similar genetic backgrounds.
• Immunosuppressive drug doses may be lowered sooner and thus possibly lessen the side effects of the medications.
• Convenient scheduling. This may permit the recipient to shorten their time on dialysis or avoid dialysis completely. The wait for a cadaveric kidney usually takes several years.
• Immediate function of the transplanted kidney. Occasionally, a cadaveric kidney may not function for days or weeks after being transplanted and the recipient will require dialysis in the interim.
• The possibility exists of obtaining a perfectly matched kidney from a sibling which has proven to be the best for longterm success.

Chief of Transplant Surgery

Dr. Shahbazov completed a fellowship in transplant surgery at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, Va., a transplant research fellowship at Baylor Transplant Institute in Dallas, and a transplant surgery fellowship at Baskent University in Ankara, Turkey. He completed general surgery residencies at King Faisal Hospital in Al-Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Clinical Hospital #5 in Baku, Azerbaijan. He received his medical degree from Azerbaijan Medical University, also in Baku.

Dr. Shahbazov is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and European Board of Surgery as well as a member of numerous professional societies, including the American Society of Transplant Surgeons and the American Medical Association. He has authored or co-authored dozens of publications in professional journals and authored a chapter on Living Donor Liver Transplantation in the book Transplantation Surgery. He is fluent in English, Azerbaijani, Russian, and Turkish, and is proficient in Arabic.

Center for Donation and Transplant

Learn more about donation at the Center for Donation and Transplant and register to be an organ, eye, or tissue donor. CDT offers hope and healing to donor families in upstate New York and western Vermont, empowering our community to restore the health of those needing an organ or tissue transplant.

Related News

Not a patient? Find information for:

Heart Transplant

Our team supports patients as they begin a new life with a lifesaving organ. We understand the challenges, whether it’s an LVAD that impacts daily living, managing medications, or missing out on what you love because you don’t feel well.

Support That’s Just Down the Road

Patients more likely to find comfort and support when they can get transplant care close to home. Our convenient locations in Greater Cincinnati help us provide heart transplants a few minutes—not hours—away.

Compassionate Healing Starts Here

Click below to learn more about where you can find compassionate care.

Heart Transplants

A diagnosis that leads to transplant can feel overwhelming. We understand what you’re experiencing and are here to support you and your family every step of the way. Our experienced team includes experts on everything from your surgery to your medication to your emotional well-being.

To schedule an appointment, please call the Heart Transplant team at 513-584-5174 .

Help Along the Way

Answers to Your Transplant Questions

How can I be my own advocate?

As you research heart transplant programs, be an advocate for your own health. It’s common to ask for second opinions. Don’t feel like you’re being disloyal to your own physician when you ask for one. Most welcome the discussion and verification. Find out about dual listings, which allow you to register at two or more transplant hospitals. Since candidates at hospitals local to the donor’s hospital are usually considered ahead of those who are farther away, multiple listings may increase your chances of receiving a local organ offer.

It’s your body. Take charge.

What should I know about wait times?

Your wait time depends on the severity of your illness. We do our best to match the perfect organ to you based on the blood type, size and condition of the organ.

We know waiting for a transplant can be stressful, worrisome or even exciting. Our team works with you and your family to evaluate you quickly.  We then identify whether you need advanced heart therapies, such as a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), or a more immediate heart transplant. We’re committed to doing everything we can to keep you comfortable and to make wait times as short as possible.

What questions should I ask?

As you research your transplant, here are some questions United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) recommends asking:

What policies apply to the transplant I need? How do I learn about potential new policies?

What factors are considered in organ matching and allocation?

How does the matching process work?

What do I need to do to be considered for a transplant?

How do I get on the waiting list?

How do I know that I am listed?

Can I list at more than one hospital?

What questions should I ask the transplant team?

Are there organizations that can help patients afford the cost of transplantation?

How long will I have to wait?

How will they find the right donor for me?

How are organs distributed?

What makes this transplant center different from others?

What experience does my transplant team have?

Why UC Health

Experience and Expertise

Bridge to Transplant

Our team of experts have unparalleled experience in left ventricular assist devices, or LVADs. Sometimes called a “bridge to transplant,” the LVAD is surgically implanted to support a failing heart while you wait for a new one.

Reducing Steroid Doses

UC Health researchers pioneered the reduction of steroid-type drugs in transplant patients, decreasing the many negative side effects associated with prolonged steroid use.

Access to Research and Clinical Trials

UC Health is a recognized leader in research, including studies of new medications to prevent and treat rejection and decrease side effects, and new immunosuppressive agents and steroid-free immunosuppression.

Excellent Outcomes

Your heart deserves the best care. That’s why we bring all our clinical care, medical research and technological advances together. It helps to create an environment for our specialists and subspecialists to collaborate.

Care Just Around the Corner

Getting a transplant closer to where you live makes a big difference. It means not only are you closer to the comforts of home, family and friends, but it also helps cut costs and time. Pre- and post-surgical appointments and treatment can be significant, and being able to visit us quickly and easily improves your journey.

Improving Lives for Patients with End-stage Heart Failure

Advancements in treatment and transplantation happen every day. As an academic health system, we connect with other leading research hospitals to share ideas and technology and bring them to life in Greater Cincinnati—quickly.

Partner with Us

Referring physicians: success and provider toolbox.

We are close partners with referring physicians. We keep them informed and engaged. Our provider toolbox allows us to share health indicator information quickly and easily. This gives physicians access to a patient’s health levels, which may change often and can impact their need for a transplant.

Call for referral information

Featured Insight

The facts about heart transplantation.

At UC Health, we lead the region in scientific discoveries and embrace a spirit of purpose—offering our patients and their families something beyond everyday healthcare. At UC Health, we offer hope.

For more information, call:

513-475-8000

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• Ways to Give

Principal Investigator

Jianing fu, phd.

Dr. Jianing Fu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine and a principal investigator at the Columbia Center for Translational Immunology (CCTI). Dr. Fu obtained her BS degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences and MS degree in Chemical Biology from Peking University (China) and received her PhD in Cancer Biology and Immunology from University of South Florida and H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center. She did a Curricular Practical Training at Medical University of South Carolina to complete her doctoral education. Dr. Fu joined Columbia University in May 2015 to start her postdoctoral training and later took the lead on several projects related to human organ transplantation under the roles of Associate Research Scientist and Instructor.

At Columbia, Dr. Fu’s laboratory is conducting translational research on decoding the graft-versus-host (GvH) and host-versus-graft (HvG) alloreactivity after human intestinal transplantation and lung transplantation. Her research also extends in investigating the phenotype and function of gut and lung hematopoietic stem cells and progenitors, with the ultimate goal of eliminating graft rejection by inducing long persistent blood mixed chimerism. Dr. Fu has established long term multidisciplinary collaboration with transplant surgeons, adult and pediatric physicians, pathologists, bioinformatic scientists and translational immunologists to perform cutting edge human transplantation studies.

Lab Members

Select publications.

Wu Y, Zuber J and Fu J*. Editorial: Immunogenomics of Solid Organ and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation. Frontiers in Immunology. 2022, 13:878314. (*Corresponding author)

Fu J, Sykes M. Emerging Concepts of Tissue-Resident Memory T cells in Transplantation. Transplantation. 2022 Jun 1;106(6):1132-1142.

Obradovic A, Shen Y, Sykes M, Fu J*. Integrated Analysis Toolset for Defining and Tracking Alloreactive T-cell Clones After Human Solid Organ and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation. Software Impacts. 2021 (10) 100142 (*Corresponding author)  

Fu J#, Khosravi-Maharlooei M, Sykes M. High throughput human T cell receptor sequencing: a new window into repertoire establishment and alloreactivity. Frontiers in Immunology. 2021, 12:777756. #Co-first author.

Fu J, Zuber J, Shonts B, Obradovic A, Wang Z, Frangaj K, Meng W, Rosenfeld A, Waffarn E, Liou P, Lau S-p, Savage T, Yang S, Rogers K, Danzl Nichole, Ravella S, Satwani P, Iuga A, Ho S-h, Griesemer A, Shen Y, Luning-Prak E, Martinez M, Kato T, Sykes M. Lymphohematopoietic graft-versus-host responses promote mixed chimerism in patients receiving intestinal transplantation. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2021 Apr 15;131(8):e141698.

Fu J, Zuber J, Martinez M, Shonts B, Obradovic A, Wang H, Lau S-p, Xia A, Waffarn E, Frangaj K, Savage T, Simpson T, Yang S, Guo X, Miron M, Senda T, Rogers K, Rahman A, Ho S-h, Shen Y, Griesemer A, Farber D, Kato T, Sykes M. Human Intestinal Allografts Contain Functional Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells that are Maintained by a Circulating Pool. Cell Stem Cell. 2019 Feb 7;24(2):227-239.e8. (Commentary: “We Could Use More Tolerance: Role of Intestinal-Allograft- Derived Human Stem Cells”.)

Fu J, Wu Y, Nguyen H, Heinrichs J, Schutt S, Liu Y, Liu C, Jin J, Anasetti C, and Yu X-Z. T-bet promotes acute graft-versus-host disease by regulating recipient hematopoietic cells in mice. J Immunol. 2016 Apr 1; 196 (7): 3168-3179. Cover Article.

Fu J, Wang D, Yu Y, Heinrichs J, Wu Y, Schutt S, Kaosaard K, Liu C, Haarberg K, Bastian D, McDonald D, Anasetti C, and Yu X-Z. T-bet is critical for the development of acute graft-versus-host disease through controlling T-cell differentiation and function. J Immunol. 2015 Jan 1;194(1):388-97.

Fu J, Heinrichs J, Yu X. Helper T-cell Differentiation in Graft-versus-Host Disease after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation. Arch Immunol Ther Exp. 2014 Aug; 62(4): 277-301.

Long K, Fu J*. Chimerism and phenotypic analysis of intraepithelial and lamina propria T lymphocytes isolated from fresh human ileal biopsies after intestinal transplantation. STAR Protocols. 2023, 4 (2), 102192. (*Corresponding author)

Fu J*, Wang Z, Martinez M, Jiao W, Frangaj K, Jones R, Guo X, Zhang Y, Kuo W-I, Ko H, Iuga A, Obradovic A, Bay Muntnich C, Rogers K, Zuber J, Ma W, Miron M, Farber D, Kato T, Shen Y, Sykes M*. Heterogeneity and Plasticity of Alloreactive T Cells in Human Intestinal Allografts: New Insights into Tissue Residency and Immune Tolerance after Transplantation. Journal of Experimental Medicine. 2024. 221 (1): e20230930. ( * Co-corresponding author)

Crosby K, Long K and Fu J. Chimerism-Mediated Tolerance in Intestinal Transplantation. Gastroenterology Clinics of North America. 2024. Epub ahead of print. doi:10.1016/j.gtc.2023.12.009

Suek N, Young T and Fu J. Immune Cell Profiling in Intestinal Transplantation. Human Immunology. 2024 May 18:110808. doi: 10.1016/j.humimm.2024.110808. Epub ahead of print.

Clinical Trials

Kidney transplant.

Displaying 94 studies

The purpose of this study is to better understand how the immune system reacts to kidney transplantation in individuals who are potentially at higher risk for rejection.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate how advancing stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) may impact the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis,and how alterations in sex hormones and menstrual cycles correlate with changes in endothelial health and sexual function before and after transplant.

The objectives of this study are to retrospectively assess detailed post-transplant outcomes in a large cohort of patients across 3 sites with a specific emphasis on the outcomes of Hispanics and American Indians compared to non-white Hispanics, to develop and implement a questionnaire to assess socioeconomic risk factors in transplant patients (including a cohort of Hispanics and American Indians), and to perform genetic studies (high-resolution HLA typing and whole genome sequencing studies) to identify genes associated with transplant outcomes (diabetes, rejection and graft loss) in Hispanics and American Indians.  

The purpose of this study is to evaluate how treatment and self-care after kidney transplant impacts people’s lives, relationships, and finances.

To evaluate the efficacy of Cinryze® given for the treatment of acute antibody-mediated rejection (of renal allograft) (AMR) in kidney transplant recipients as measured by the proportion of subjects with new or worsening transplant glomerulopathy (TG) at 6 months after treatment initiation.

The purpose of this study is to test whether a dosing regimen of eculizumab in addition to standard posttransplant care in positive crossmatch deceased donor kidney transplant recipients will reduce the incidence of acute humoral rejection (AHR).

Patients included in this study will be those who have demonstrable anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibody specific for their deceased donor. It is our hypothesis that blockade of terminal complement activation with eculizumab at the time of transplant in combination with our current protocols will reduce the incidence of AHR in recipients of deceased donor kidney transplants who have anti-donor HLA antibody

The purpose of this study is to see if treating patients who have high levels of donor specific alloantibodies post-transplant with bortezomib might prevent the development of transplant glomerulopathy and preserve allograft function.

The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that pregnancy post-transplant will increase the risk of adverse renal events (defined as acute rejection, reduction in GFR by 30%, new or worsening proteinuria, or graft-loss).  The risk will be increased in women with complications in pregnancy, such as preeclampsia or pre-term delivery. 

The objectives of this study are to establish the dynamic changes in iron metabolism and circulating iron-regulatory immune cells in kidney transplant infection, and to determine quantitative changes in tissue levels of hepcidin and iron-regulatory macrophages in transplant biopsy and compare pyelonephritis case with control.

The purpose of this pilot study is to investigate whether contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) may help evaluate segmental differences in renal perfusion better than doppler ultrasound and thus help direct a biopsy to the most abnormal part of the renal cortex.

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of ultrasound elastography in prediction of renal allograft fibrosis.        

The investigators will evaluate a technology-enabled strategy designed to promote medication adherence, routinely monitor regimen use, and mobilize appropriate transplant center resources to respond early to kidney transplant recipients demonstrating inadequate adherence.

Thirteen APOLLO Clinical Centers (CCs), or Networks, will prospectively enroll eligible living kidney donors and recipients of kidneys from eligible living and deceased kidney donors transplanted at all transplant programs in the continental United States including Puerto Rico. The APOLLO Scientific and Data Research Center (SDRC or Coordinating Center) will support and participate in studies determining the impact of donor and recipient APOL1 genotypes on kidney transplant outcomes in recipients of a kidney transplant from a donor with recent African ancestry, and follow African ancestry living kidney donors for changes in vital status, kidney function and proteinuria. APOLLO’s Study Chair ...

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether clazakizumab (an anti-interleukin (IL)-6 monoclonal antibody (mAb)) may be beneficial for the treatment of CABMR in recipients of a kidney transplant by inhibiting the production of Donor Specific Antibodies (DSA) and re-shaping T cell alloimmune responses.

The purpose of this study is to assess the benefits and risks of changing from Cyclosporine or Tacrolimus to Belatacept for maintenance rejection suppression after kidney transplant.

The purpose of this study is to use renal and kidney plus pancreas transplant patient samples to validate both the clinical utility of the CMV scoring algorithm and develop a clinically useful scoring guide for the BK virus immune competence assay.

The purpose of this study is to develop a digital droplet PCR-based method to quantitate ccfDNA., and to establish ranges of donor ccfDNA that correspond to rejection status.

The purpose of this study is to assess the safety and effectiveness of  eculizumab for the prevention of antibody-caused rejection in patients who are having a kidney transplant from a living donor with a different blood type than their own.

The primary purpose of this study is to assess the benefits and risks of changing from Cyclosporine or Tacrolimus to Belatacept between 6-60 months after kidney transplant.

The purpose of this study is to obtain knowledge of the viscoelastic material properties of the kidney in healthy individuals, patients with chronic kidney disease, and patients who have received a kidney transplant. The aim of the study is to evaluate if these properties are unique indicators of renal health.

The main purpose of this study is to investigate pre-transplant risk factors and beliefs regarding weight gain in patients with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who have undergone a kidney transplant. The aim is to guide an understanding of the rationale behind weight gain and an exploration of potential preventative measures, ultimately resulting in recommendations for future patient-centered interventions at a Midwestern tertiary healthcare center. The research question follows the PICOT format: population, intervention, comparison, outcome, and time. The question of interest is: In adult patients ≥ 18 years of age with T2DM who received a kidney transplant ...

This study aims to understand the pharmacogenomics of Native American patients compared to Caucasians who are undergoing kidney transplant for treatment of kidney disease.

The purpose of this study is to determine the usefulness of a pharmacist-led motivational interview intervention for transplant recipients, and to determine the acceptance and satisfaction of transplant patients with a pharmacist-led motivational interview intervention.

The purpose of this study is to compare the rate of progression from prediabetes at 4 months to frank diabetes at 12 months (as defined by increase in HbA1C or fasting BS to diabetic range based on the ADA criteria) after transplantation in kidney transplant recipients on Exenatide SR + SOC vs. standard-of-care alone.

The aim of this study is to determine the validity of two tests on bone marrow of sensitized kidney transplant recipients in order to better understand why these patients with antibodies against their donors are at a greater risk of rejection of their transplanted organs.

This study aims to measure the percentage of time spent in hyperglycemia in patients on insulin therapy and evaluate diabetes related patient reported outcomes in kidney transplant recipients with type 2 diabetes. It also aimes to evaluate immunosuppression related patient reported outcomes in kidney transplant recipients with type 2 diabetes.

The purpose of this study to collect blood samples and data to assess the diagnostic capability of an updated version of the Prospera™ test.  The current standard of care for detection of rejection in renal allograft recipients is serum creatinine, often used in combination with other blood tests such as proteinuria. Natera has developed an assay called Prospera™ to detect the amount of donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA), which is a marker of kidney rejection.

The purpose of this study of posoleucel ALVR105 is to assess the safety and tolerability of posoleucel ALVR105 in kidney transplant recipients. The key secondary objective is to test the hypothesis that the administration of posoleucel ALVR105 to kidney transplant recipients with BK viremia will demonstrate superiority in suppressing BK viral load compared with placebo.

The primary purpose of this study in Phase 1 is to characterize the safety and tolerability of isatuximab in kidney transplant candidates.  The primary purpose of this study in Phase 2 is to evaluate the effectiveness of isatuximab in desensitization of patients awaiting kidney transplantation.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of ASP0113 compared to placebo in reducing the incidence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) viremia in CMV-seronegative subjects receiving a kidney from a CMV-seropositive donor. This study will also evaluate the safety of ASP0113 in this patient population.

American Indians (AI) have cultural, emotional, physical and religious variables that influence the patient’s perception about kidney transplantation and dialysis, some of which may lead to delays in completion of kidney transplant evaluation and kidney transplantation. The purpose of this study is to asses the patient's perceptions about the kidney transplant evaluation process at Mayo Clinic Arizona, assess the patient's attitudes and feelings about the process of kidney transplantation and how that influences their emotional, physical, cultural and religious well-being and determine the patient's attitude and experience with their dialysis.

The purpose of this study is to understand differences in quality of life across multiple domains in three distinct older populations: those on dialysis in the community setting, those wait-listed for kidney transplantation, and those who have successfully undergone kidney transplantation. 

This is a double-blind, randomized-withdrawal, placebo-controlled study consisting of 2 treatment periods, and a post-treatment Follow-up Period during which retreatment is permitted if needed.

The purpose of this trial is to determine the safety and efficacy of eculizumab in the prevention of antibody mediated rejection (AMR) in living donor kidney recipients requiring desensitization therapy.

The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness and safety of NPC-21 when administered prophylactically to cytomegalovirus (CMV) seronegative patients receiving a first kidney transplant from a CMV seropositive donor.

The aims of this study are to identify frailty trajectories and biomarkers of frailty after kidney transplantation. Subjects will be followed beginning immediately prior to kidney transplantation until 1 year after kidney transplantation. Frailty will be prospectively assessed using performance-based measures (Fried criteria and Short Physical Impairment Battery). The relationship between frailty measures and blood levels of promising candidate biomarkers will be analyzed.

The purpose of this study is to collect and share detailed clinical data from all kidney transplant recipients from 7 kidney transplant centers (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ; Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL; Cornell University, New York, NY; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Henry Ford, Detroit, MI; University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburg, PA) to retrospectively and prospectively study kidney transplant recipients.

There is a need to develop blood and/or urine tests that will help to detect early signs of rejection in people who have had kidney transplant. Researchers will examine blood, urine, and tissue samples and try to identify genetic markers for certain conditions like rejection, response to therapy, and scarring of the kidney. By studying gene patterns, researchers hope to be able to diagnose these conditions earlier and improve kidney survival.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the VERIS CMV Assay as an aid in the management of anti-CMV treatment for solid organ transplant patients by showing that virus levels are in agreement with the observed clinical status.

The purpose of this study is to determine if Eculizumab is safe and could be used to prevent delayed graft function following kidney transplantation.

The purpose of this study is to to determine the safety and effectivness of a single dose of autologous polyTregs or darTregs in renal transplant recipients with subclinical inflammation (SCI) in the 6 month post‐transplant allograft protocol biopsy compared to control patients treated with CNI‐based immunosuppression.

This study aims to determine the potential barriers that contribute to fewer patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) being placed on the waiting list for a kidney transplant and that accomplished through evaluating:

The purpose of this study is to measure and characterize specific immune cell abnormalities found in patients who have type 1 diabetes and may or may not be on the waiting list for either a pancreas alone or a pancreas and kidney transplant.

This current study aims to evaluate the efficacy of engagement modules in assisting patients who are candidates for renal and liver transplantation make significant lifestyle modifications. With the help of the Center for Innovation (CFI), a smartphone app (Android and iOS compatible) has been created to assist in both educating and engaging patients to develop and maintain healthy lifestyle modifications. Our goal is to create a cost-effective, smartphone-based platform that serves to not only efficiently educate but to also verify competence and keep our patients engaged.

The purpose of this study is to (i)assess glucose variability at pre specified time points after Pancreas Transplantation (ii) collect pre-specified serious adverse events after PT and in appropriate control groups (iii) assess mixed meal dynamics after pancreas transplantation.

The purpose of this study is to see if certain pre-transplant markers are able to predict how the kidney will respond after a liver transplant.

The purpose of this trial is to evaluate the reduction in incidence and severity of delayed graft function when using QPI-1002 with kidney transplants from donors older than 45 years who have brain death.

The purpose of this study is to determine if “booster” revaccination with the Janssen Ad26.CoV2.S vaccine (JNJ-78436735, aka the J&J vaccine, a viral vector vaccine) increases anti-COVID spike protein antibody levels in solid organ transplant recipients who did not form acceptable levels of anti-COVID spike protein antibody after receiving two doses of a mRNA vaccine: Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2 vaccine) or Modena (mRNA-1273). 

The purpose of this study is to compare tacrolimus formulations (Envarsus XR® versus twice a day tacrolimus) with the hypothesis that Envarsus XR® improves transplant- and tacrolimus- associated symptoms when compared to a twice a day tacrolimus regimen.

The purpose of this study is to validate the use of an RNA-seq based peripheral blood assay in renal transplant recipients in adult kidney transplant recipients.  

The purpose of this research is to to determine whether home-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an effective intervention to improve decreased physical function in patients with varying levels of kidney function. We will determine if home-based CR improves frailty parameters and SPPB scores. We will also determine if home-based CR improves health-related quality of life (HRQOL), body composition, physical activity, and adverse outcomes, including hospitalizations and death.

The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of brincidofovir (BCV) to valganciclovir (vGCV) for the prevention of CMV disease in kidney transplant recipients who are CMV seropositive pretransplant and received antilymphocyte induction therapy.

A Multicenter, Prospective, Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Phase 3 Study of ANG-3777 (formerly BB3) to Improve Graft Function and Reduce the Severity of Kidney Dysfunction or Delayed Graft Function Following Kidney Transplantation in Recipients of a Deceased Donor Kidney

The purpose of this study is to determine if patient satisfaction with a pharmacist-video visit is non-inferior to a face-to-face, in-clinic pharmacist visit. 

The purpose of this study is to validate an MRI method to detect renal fibrosis in patients after kidney transplantation (KT).

This trial studies whether the nonavalent human papillomavirus vaccine given to adult women prior to kidney transplantation can help the body build and maintain an effective immune response during the post-transplant period when they receive immunosuppressive drugs to prevent transplant rejection. This study will help inform our scientific understanding about vaccine-induced immune responses among immunosuppressed individuals.

The purpose of this study is to to determine whether or not prior living kidney donors have an increased risk of bone fractures. The study will also determine bone structure and health in prior living donors as compared to matched controls.  

We will determine if living kidney donors are at increased risk of bone disease and fractures following kidney donation. This information will be valuable in informing future kidney donors of the risks of donation and in devising treatments, such as administration of vitamin D analogs like calcitriol, to ...

The purpose of this study is to create a group of blood and urine samples from Mayo Clinic patients being screened for the kidney donor program as well as to collect risk factor data through a questionnaire. The data, blood and urine samples will be used for future research of kidney diseases at Mayo Clinic and future research at Mayo Clinic to learn about, prevent, or treat other health problems.

Frailty is a condition characterized by slowness, weakness, low physical activity, wasting, and exhaustion. Frailty increases the risk for adverse outcomes following transplant such as increased length of stay in the hospital, mortality, or graft function. No interventions for frailty are known for patients with renal disease, but exercise programs like pulmonary rehabilitation have been effective in improving frailty in patients with other diseases, such as lung disease. The goal of this study is to test whether exercise will also improve frailty among patients who are waiting for a kidney transplant and who are considered frail or pre-frail.

Hypothesis: we hypothesize that the abundance and functions of Breg subsets in kidney transplant patients could be associated with transplant tolerance and rejection, including DSA-mediated kidney transplant rejection. In addition, oral corticosteroid treatment significantly alters the frequency and function of Breg subsets, which could lead altered clinical outcomes. Aims, purpose, or objectives: 1. Investigate the frequency Bregs and their ability to express IL-10 along with other immune cells in the context of tolerance/rejection in kidney transplant patients. we hypothesize that the abundance and functions of Breg subsets in kidney transplant patients could be associated with transplant tolerance and rejection, ...

To compare the efficacy of brincidofovir (BCV) to valganciclovir (vGCV) for the prevention of cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in kidney transplant allograft recipients who are CMV seronegative pretransplant and received a kidney from a CMV seropositive donor.

Patients that need reconstruction or re-building of their urinary bladder are often limited to having a segment of their intestine used for that purpose. Using intestine is less than ideal as it is an absorptive, mucous producing tissue and placing this in constant contact with urine creates significant long term problems. In patients that require a kidney transplant and bladder reconstruction, this study seeks to use a bladder graft from a deceased donor rather than intestine.

The purpose of this study of obinutuzumab administered as intravenous (IV) infusion in adults with end stage renal disease is to assess the safety and tolerability of the regimen at week 24 of the desensitization phase and at week 28 post kidney transplantation. All participants will be monitored for a minimum of 12 months following the last obinutuzumab infusion.

The purpose of this study is to connect the findings of TruGraf (a peripheral blood RNA signature that has been shown to correlate with rejection in kidney transplants) with rejection episodes in kidney transplant patients that are managed using standard of care clinical protocols at the three Mayo transplant sites. 

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the utility of using anti-HLA antibody titer to measure the effectiveness of antibody lowering therapy (i.e., desensitization) in highly-sensitized kidney transplant candidates.

The purpose of this study is to conduct a clinical trial examining the preliminary effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of an exercise intervention on frailty after kidney transplantation (KT).

The purpose of this study is to investigate how efficiently the study medication imlifidase reduces the amount of donor specific antibodies (DSA) in comparison with plasma exchange (PE) therapy, in patients who have an active antibody mediated rejection (AMR) after recently been kidney transplanted. The purpose is also to investigate and compare safety for these two treatments. 20 patients will be treated with imlifidase and 10 with PE.

The purpose of this study is to attempt to improve outcomes after kidney transplantation and to improve the safety of living kidney donation based upon variation in the apolipoprotein L1 gene (APOL1). Genes control what is inherited from a family, such as eye color or blood type. Variation in APOL1 can cause kidney disease. African Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, Hispanic Blacks, and Africans are more likely to have the APOL1 gene variants that cause kidney disease. APOLLO will test DNA from kidney donors and recipients of kidney transplants for APOL1 to determine effects on kidney transplant-related outcomes.

The purpose of this study will be to evaluate the effect of the US Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) program to reimburse lost wages on the decision of individuals to initiate evaluation for living organ donation.

The purpose of this study is to use urinary exosomes to non-invasively identify (protein biomarkers) various conditions affecting the renal transplant. 

The purpose of this study is to obtain valuable knowledge to rapidly promote the Hispanic Kidney Transplant Program (HKTP) as a novel approach for increasing living donor kidney transplants(LDKT) nationally in the Hispanic community.

The purpose of this study is to attempt to improve outcomes after kidney transplantation and to improve the safety of living kidney donation based upon variation in the apolipoprotein L1 gene (APOL1). Genes control what is inherited from a family, such as eye color or blood type. Variation in APOL1 can cause kidney disease. African Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, Hispanic Blacks, and Africans are more likely to have the APOL1 gene variants that cause kidney disease. APOLLO will test DNA from kidney donors and recipients of kidney transplants for APOL1 to determine effects on kidney transplant-related outcomes.

The specific purpose of this study is to compare the characteristics of patients at Mayo Clinic Rochester who received a living donor kidney transplant here preemptively versus those who dialyzed either less than 1 year or more than 1 year. 

The purpose of this study is to evaluate post-transplant clinical outcomes in receipients of kidney transplants who are undergoing TruGraf® and TRAC™ monitoring.

The purpose of this study is to determine the safety of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in patients listed for solid organ transplantation, including heart, lung, liver, kidney, and pancreas.

The purpose of this study is to determine if the Living Donor Assessment Tool (LDAT) is an effective tool to improve the psychosocial evaluation of potential live kidney and liver donors. The LDAT was developed by the living donation team at the Zweig Family Center for Living Donation at the Mount Sinai Recanati/Miller Transplantation Institute. It assesses important areas of the evaluation process such as motivation (reason) for donation, knowledge of living donation, support, relationship to organ recipient, feelings about donation, stability in life and psychiatric and addiction history and provides a score that can be used to measure the ...

The purpose of this study is to evaluate KidneyCare (AlloSure, AlloMap kidney and iBox) in patients with negative c4d microvascular inflammation (MVI) with or without Donor-Specific Antibodies (DSA) as compared to cohort with normal biopsies without DSA.

The purpose of this study is to create a detailed immune profile of transplant patients and donors to determine what characteristics are associated with response to COVID vaccination.

Transplant recipients and donors who respond to immunization to COVID vaccine will have a different immunologic profile at basline than those who do not repspond.

We woudl like to create a detailed immune profile of Transplant patients and donors to determne what  characteristics are associated with response to the COVID vaccination.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of parity, menopause and reproductive lifespan on kidney structure and function.

The primary purpose of this study is to implement the Hispanic Kidney Transplant Program (HKTP) at two transplant centers by conducting a needs assessment of barriers and using a “learning collaborative” model to deliver HKTP protocols, scripts, and materials.

The study will prospectively determine the clinical utility of CMV cell-mediated immunity using the Quantiferon test. The investigators will use the assay results to tailor the duration of CMV prophylaxis in solid organ transplant patients.

The purpose of this study is to find out if the size of a donor's remaining kidney or the microscopic appearance of a tissue biopsy from the donated kidney is predictive of long-term kidney function and overall health.

This study will compare the incidence of a two-part composite endpoint consisting of de novo donor specific antibody (DSA) formation or a designation of "immune activation" (IA) on peripheral blood molecular profiling in patients maintained on twice daily, immediate-release tacrolimus versus those maintained on Astagraf XL in the first two years post-transplant.

The objectives of this study are to determine whether adequate blood volumes can be obtained with the Tasso+ device for anti-HLA antibody testing, to compare MFI levels from at-home collected capillary blood to venous blood, and to obtain user feedback and experiences from patients.

The purpose of this study is to assess the safety, effectiveness, and overall benefit of FCR001 cell therapy in de novo living donor renal transplantation.

The primary objective of this study is to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of cellular immunotherapy with MDR-101 for induction of functional immune tolerance in recipients of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched, living donor kidney transplants.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate safety and efficacy outcomes in renal transplant recipients in whom post-transplant care is managed using AlloSure®. AlloSure® is a non-invasive test to measure donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA). The AlloSure test is intended to assess the probability of allograft rejection in kidney transplant recipients with clinical suspicion of rejection and to inform clinical decision-making regarding the necessity of renal biopsy in such patients at least 2 weeks post-transplant in conjunction with standard clinical assessment. Amendment 1 (A1): Is an observational study to develop and validate the clinical use of KidneyCare®.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical performance of the Aptima CMV Quant assay on the Panther system in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) plasma samples from solid organ transplantation recipients (SOTR) and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients (HSCTR).

The purpose of this study is to determine the change in exercise capacity by comparing VO2 max results pre & post renal transplant.

The purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility and safety of delivering adipose mesenchymal stem cells (AMSCs) to kidney allografts.

The purpose of this study is to determine the incidence of biopsy proven acute rejections detected due to elevated dd-cfDNA independent of change in serum creatinine, to determine incidence of DeNovo Donor specific antibody (DSA) or increase in preexisting DSA’s in presence of elevated dd-cfDNA, and to determine the association of elevated dd-cfDNA with progression of chronic changes in surveillance biopsies.

The purpose of this study is to decrease the waiting time on the transplant list for patients who have high level of anti-HLA antibodies with ESRD and improve the patients and allograft survival after transplant.

The overall goal of this study is to determine the safety and feasibility of infusing adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells directly into the artery of renal allografts with biopsy-proven rejection in order to reduce inflammation detected in the graft.   We contend that future studies will show that administering immunomodulatory cells directly into the allograft will be more effective and safer than the current approaches of delivering massive doses of systemic immunosuppression.

Study participation involves receiving mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), created from the adipose tissue (body fat) of a donor, and infused into the main artery of a transplanted ...

The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of genetic mutations of cancer in kidney transplant patients receiving care at Mayo Clinic Arizona.

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May 24, 2024

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

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Research shows new treatment may enable more patients with high-risk blood cancers to receive stem cell transplants

by Charlotte Schubert, University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine

A new treatment approach using an older drug may enable more patients with high-risk blood cancers to receive transplanted stem cells from unrelated, partially matched donors, according to a study conducted by researchers at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and colleagues.

Results to be presented at the annual meetings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the European Hematology Association suggest the new approach may expand the donor pool, with patients from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups standing to benefit the most.

Finding a matched donor has long been a major hurdle for patients with blood cancers who need bone marrow or blood stem cell transplants.

Patients without an eligible family member often turn to the National Marrow Donor Program. The registry contains more than 40 million potential donors, but not everyone finds a match , particularly people from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. Only about half of Hispanic and a quarter of Black patients can find a fully matched donor, compared with more than 70% of white patients.

But the search for a donor has become a lot easier with the repurposing of cyclophosphamide, an older drug. The new approach – administering cyclophosphamide several days after transplantation – is leading to successful outcomes. New data will be presented May 31 at the ASCO meeting, with findings showing high rates of success in patients receiving blood stem cells from unrelated, partially matched donors.

"The outcomes seem to be very comparable to those of a fully matched donor," said Antonio Jimenez Jimenez, M.D., a Sylvester clinician and researcher who has been a key primary investigator in the studies supporting the use of cyclophosphamide. He led this study alongside researchers from the National Marrow Donor Program, City of Hope Medical Center, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, among other institutions.

City of Hope researcher Monzr Al Malki, M.D., will present the findings at ASCO. Jimenez Jimenez will present the data at the European Hematology Association (EHA) annual congress in Madrid, June 14.

The approach is already being taken up widely at Sylvester and elsewhere, leading to more patients finding a donor and receiving lifesaving treatment. "It's been transformational," Jimenez Jimenez said.

Donor compatibility is determined by a set of protein markers on blood cells called HLAs (human leukocyte antigens). Jimenez Jimenez said HLAs are the "QR code" of the immune system. The chance that a sibling has a fully matched HLA is 25%, and the chance of a partial sibling match is 50%. With the increasing use of cyclophosphamide over the last decade or so, partially matched relatives have increasingly been successfully tapped as donors.

Cyclophosphamide counteracts a deadly side effect of transplantation called graft vs. host disease (GVHD). In this condition, the transplant mounts an immune attack on the patient. The drug is thought to mitigate the effect of the cells that mediate GVHD.

More recently, researchers have been asking if cyclophosphamide also works for transplants from partially matched donors who are unrelated. In one key previous study , Jimenez Jimenez and his colleagues showed that the drug yielded high survival rates in 80 patients receiving bone marrow transplants from partially matched, unrelated donors.

The new study assesses cyclophosphamide treatment in patients receiving peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation. This stem cell source has largely supplanted bone marrow transplantation, partly because of the ease of donation via a procedure that collects the cells from the blood.

In this initial phase of the study, the researchers examined data from 70 adult patients with advanced blood cancers. Patients received a "reduced-intensity" conditioning regimen to prepare them for transplantation, followed by stem cells from unrelated, partially matched donors.

At ASCO, the researchers will report an overall high survival rate of 79% at one year, comparable to survival rates seen with fully matched donors. Other metrics were also promising, Jimenez Jimenez said. After one year, 51% of patients were free of GVHD and had not relapsed.

The data are "impressive," Jimenez Jimenez said, particularly since the study enrolled high-risk patients and the average age was 65. The study was also "very permissive" with the degree of donor mismatch allowed, he said.

Donors had match levels from 4/8 to 7/8 on a one-to-eight scale, in which eight corresponds to a perfect match across eight key HLA markers. At match levels of 5/8 and above, more than 99% of people from a wide range of racial/ethnic groups are expected to find a donor.

The new approach means that more patients can find a donor and receive treatment. It also means that they can often find better donors, such as younger individuals with healthier grafts, Jimenez Jimenez said.

The findings are particularly relevant for medical centers with highly diverse patient populations, like Sylvester, the researchers said. Patients are overcoming the barriers to finding a donor in the registry, including the high proportion of white donors and the genetic diversity of mixed-race individuals, which can complicate HLA matching. Patients no longer need a perfect match.

The new findings are part of an ongoing Phase II study enrolling about 300 patients at more than 30 medical sites, including Sylvester. Patients in a second arm of the study are receiving a more intense regimen prior to transplant, designed to ablate the bone marrow . A third arm investigates pediatric patients.

Jimenez Jimenez and his colleagues are also investigating how to optimize cyclophosphamide delivery, combine it with other treatments, minimize toxicity, and address other related questions.

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New US liver transplant policy raises cost and equity concerns, according to new study

C hanges to the policy that governs how liver transplants are allocated in the United States were meant to increase the number of transplants and make the process more equitable, but a new study raises concerns that it’s putting certain underserved communities at a greater disadvantage.

The new liver allocation policy changed the geographic parameters that guide which people receive donated organs. Instead of operating within defined regional service areas, the new policy prioritizes the sickest liver candidates who are listed at transplant hospitals that are within a 500-nautical-mile radius of the donor hospital. It was implemented in February 2020 by the United Network for Organ Sharing, which is contracted by the federal government’s Organ Procurement and Transplant Network.

In a study published Wednesday in the medical journal JAMA Surgery, researchers assessed outcomes during the first year under the new policy for 22 transplant centers that represent about a quarter of the national volume. They found that liver transplant costs were about 11% higher than they were the year before, largely due to costs associated with increased air travel to transport donor livers.

For this sample of transplant centers – which were not identified in the study – the overall number of liver transplants decreased 6%, and the change in transplants relative to donors suggests higher discard rates, according to the study.

“Transplant centers from low-income states, those serving populations with more racial and ethnic minority individuals, and centers from states with poorer-performing health systems are facing greater costs, despite fewer patients having transplants since the policy implementation,” the study authors wrote.

Geographic disparities have long been a challenge facing the transplant system, and the issue is particularly inherent to liver transplants because they cannot remain viable between donor and transplant as long as some other organs.

Rural areas face broad disadvantages when it comes to organ transplants, but the study suggests that the new liver allocation policy may create even more disproportionate burdens. Researchers found that rural centers had significantly greater drops in the number of liver transplants, increases in imported livers and larger increases in hospital and flight costs.

For the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, the new 500-nautical-mile radius might mean that staffers travel to Chicago, Houston or Nashville to get a donor liver to bring back to a transplant patient in Little Rock.

“That’s expensive, but if it’s the best thing to get people to transplanted – time will tell – we just want to do what’s right to honor those gifts by donors,” said Dr. Lyle Burdine, director of the medical center’s solid organ transplant program.

The center prepared for the change in liver transplant policy by adding staff to help with the increased logistical burden and by developing a program that preserves the organ longer during the transition between donor and transplant recipient.

“The only thing that we haven’t then been able to do – and no transplant center has been able to do – is change reimbursement rates by hospital payers for this increased cost. That’s still stuck in probably the late 1990s,” Burdine said. “And the financial pressures in health care are really felt at the fringes.”

A related commentary, also published in JAMA Surgery on Wednesday, suggests that broader and longer-term analysis is important before making a judgement on how the new policy is working.

While it’s clear that not all transplant centers are “equally resilient in responding to changes in national allocation policy,” the sample of centers used in the new analysis might not be nationally representative, wrote the authors, led by Dr. Daniela Ladner, founding director of the Northwestern University Transplant Outcomes Research Collaborative. Federal data suggests that liver transplants did increase in the US overall, despite the decrease observed in the sample of 22 centers.

The new policy was implemented at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, which could have skewed outcomes and findings. And the “field is changing rapidly,” they wrote, especially with emergence of new technologies like normothermic perfusion pumps that allow donor livers to travel longer distances.

At the University of Kansas Medical Center, liver transplant volume fell about 40% in the first two years under the new allocation policy, costs increased about 15% per transplant, and the number of livers that came from the local donors fell from about 90% to about 15%, said Dr. Timothy Schmitt, the director of transplantation for the health system.

Some of these changes were expected based on models that forecasted how the new policy would play out, he said. But it also created a situation where people who get a liver transplant are quite a bit sicker than they would have been under the old policy.

“That has really caused us to have a difference in practice,” Schmitt said. Now, some people who would have been considered good candidates for liver transplant might not even be put on the waitlist because they won’t survive the wait time. “There are more difficult conversations to be hard because people are going to be waiting a lot longer.”

However, the United Network for Organ Sharing assessed national outcomes after one year under the new policy and found promising results.

“Although we look at regional effects and center effects, the most important thing is that we focus on the patients and what’s happening nationally,” said Dr. Scott Biggins, chair of the federal government’s liver transplantation committee. “This policy did lower waitlist mortality, did increase access to liver transplant nationally and didn’t have much of any detrimental effect on the outcome after transplant in terms of post-transplant survival.”

In the four years since the latest liver transplant policy was implemented, the committee has also started work on another update to the policy that would make the allocation process more “continuous” instead of “categorical,” Biggins said.

Right now, liver allocations are predominantly concerned with reaching the sickest patients soonest based on individual patient scores on a model for end-stage liver disease. But the new model would also focus on improving efficiency in the system instead of relying completely on urgency, he said.

This update could address some of the concerns that Schmitt has; he would appreciate a more “matrixed allocation scheme” that allows for flexibility that accounts for travel costs in some way.

Projections for the potential update to transplant policy are still being worked through, and it will be years before they’re finalized after seeking input from the public and other stakeholders.

“As we move forward, there’s a lot of opportunity here to focus on the patients rather than bottom lines,” Biggins said. “Health care is a business but our focus is on improving the lives and health of our patients, and the best way we can get organs to people who are in need is should be the North Star here.”

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Living Donor’s Generosity Offers Second Chance to Florida Man with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

When Tim McDonald, of Tampa Bay, Florida, found out he had stage 4 colorectal cancer that had spread to his liver, self-advocacy became his focus. He sought many opinions and connected with communities online and in-person that would help him cope and find solutions, with the goal to survive and thrive, so he could be there for his wife and family.

That self-advocacy led him to the University of Rochester Medical Center for a unique procedure: a liver transplant from a living donor to remove colorectal cancer metastases.

It also led him to a stranger, from the Rochester area, who would go on to become a literal lifesaver and lifelong friend.

Without either, he wouldn’t have been able to celebrate an important milestone: As of May 16, 2024, he’s gone one year with no evidence of his stage 4 colorectal cancer .

Tim McDonald’s Story

In November 2020, McDonald found out his stage 4 colorectal cancer had spread to his liver. The diagnosis was scary, but the people around him gave him motivation to find answers.

“I always told my wife, from the time I was diagnosed, I was not going to let cancer take me,” he says.

That kicked off a campaign of advocacy, thanks in part to a team in Florida that insisted on getting many opinions.

Shortly after his diagnosis, McDonald learned of an online community called Colontown and he joined a group focused on those with cancer that has spread to the liver. A Facebook post for live liver donor transplantation came across his screen and he reached out, eventually connecting with Roberto Hernandez-Alejandro, MD , chief of the Transplant Institute at URMC who pioneered this procedure in the U.S.  

If McDonald’s chemotherapy could knock out the cancer in his colon and perineum, then he might be a candidate for live liver transplant, a procedure by which a portion of liver is provided by a living donor, rather than a traditional deceased donor. The liver is the only organ able to regenerate, providing full function for both donor and recipient within a few months.

This option not only helps survival rates but also improves quality-of-life. For patients who have successful outcomes, they do not need to continue chemotherapy unless the cancer comes back.

“Patients whose colon cancer has metastasized to their liver and who are not candidates for resection often are told by their oncologist that they’ve exhausted all treatment options,” Hernandez says. “But for some, we can provide a second chance at longer survival and better quality of life, without long-term chemotherapy.”

When McDonald was ready for his procedure, there were around a dozen centers in the country that offered this therapy, including URMC, which was the second in the U.S. to offer the procedure. URMC’s team has done significantly more than any other center in the U.S. and the only place in the world that has done more than URMC is in Norway. 

So, McDonald made the 1,200-mile trek from Tampa to Rochester for this specialized care.

“I want to go to the people that are most experienced,” he says. 

Now, he just needed a donor who was a match. It took about 14 months, but while on a cruise, he got the life-changing call. He had a donor.

Beth Lipari’s Story

Beth Lipari’s mother instilled generosity in her at a young age. She often would have Lipari bring an apple to her teacher or flowers for the neighbor.

In 2017, she found out her mother had late-stage lung cancer. Lipari made a list of things she wanted to tell her mother before she died, but never got the chance. She wanted more than anything to have one more day with her mother, to talk with her and tell her everything she had put on her list.

She realized she could honor her mother’s memory and help give someone else “one more day” with their loved ones through the ultimate gift.

As a living donor, she could give a piece of herself to help someone in need.

“What a wonderful blessing to be able to donate to somebody in her honor,” Lipari says. “It just really propelled me forward and gave me a different set of purpose.”

As a 23-year employee at URMC, Lipari felt most comfortable here, but at the time, URMC was not taking non-directed living liver donors. She tried other institutions but never made it all the way through the process.

When Jason Colline, a friend-of-a-friend of Lipari, posted on Facebook that he needed a liver, she decided to give that a try because URMC had started accepting non-directed donors. She didn’t end up being a match for him. But Hernandez asked, might she be willing to help someone else?

That’s how she matched with McDonald.

“It was one of the most powerful feelings I've ever had in my life,” she says, “just being told yes.”

She privately messaged Colline that she had tried but wasn’t a match, but that she matched with someone else.

“I said, ‘you don’t know me, I did test for you and, although I didn’t match for you, you saved somebody else's life here at the UR because I'm going to now give to somebody else’.”

Lo and behold, Colline also knew McDonald and realized he could introduce the pair to one another. When Colline connected Lipari and McDonald, they bonded instantly over Zoom.

Ripple Effects

McDonald had to come to Rochester for some pre-operative care and the families connected, with Lipari insisting McDonald stay at their house instead of a hotel.

The day of the surgery, they sat with each other in the waiting area, chatting and enjoying each other’s company. Lipari’s husband even played “Eye of the Tiger” on his phone as they walked to the OR.

Koji Tomiyama, MD, PhD , associate professor in the Department of Surgery, Transplant, performed McDonald’s operation, which took about 12 hours, and Hernandez performed Lipari’s operation, which took about 7 to 8 hours. Neither was exactly a walk in the park. But while hospitalized, they made the best of it. McDonald would visit Lipari, who stayed in the ICU for five days and ended up being discharged a few days before McDonald. Once they were both home and healed, they kept in touch online, messaging one another to see how things were going.

Since then, McDonald has created a new nonprofit called Share My Liver. Its goal is to provide resources for people in need of a living liver donor as well as people who are interested in donating.

McDonald believes, if he hadn’t advocated for himself by contacting Hernandez, he wouldn’t be where he is today. By creating this organization, he’s hoping to use what he learned to help others who may be facing a similar situation.

"I'm one year no evidence of disease and none of this would've happened if I didn’t advocate for myself,” he says. “That's what I will spend the rest of my life doing is making sure that other people in the colorectal cancer space – whether they're getting a transplant or getting other types of treatment – just advocate for yourself.”

What started as a patient seeking a second chance and a daughter seeking an answer to a “one more day” wish would become infinite opportunities for family members to have many more days together.

“I'm not only honored that I was able to do it, but to know the impact it's had on so many other people is a powerful feeling,” says Lipari. 

• colorectal cancer
• patients and families