Calling for new ISN-TTS Sister Transplant Centers

Dear Colleague:

We are delighted to announce that the next deadline to apply to the ISN-TTS Sister Transplant Center Program is October 1, 2017.

This program is a joint partnership between ISN and TTS to help establish new kidney transplant centers and develop existing kidney transplant programs in developing countries. This initiative fosters partnerships between experienced transplant centers in the developed world (Supporting Centers or SC’s) and emerging new or developing transplant centers (Emerging Centers or EC’s) in the developing world. The Program offers step-wise funding from ISN-TTS to help facilitate vital multidisciplinary training and exchange of knowledge and expertise from the dedicated SC to EC.

This is a wonderful opportunity for SC’s in the developed world to get involved in Global Health and help spread ethical and competent transplantation to regions of the world with limited or no access to transplantation at present. And it gives a chance to the emerging center to link with a multidisciplinary team of international experts in transplantation from one of the world-leading centers.

So please carefully look at this exciting opportunity on http://stc.theisn.org. Deadline for completed applications is October 1, 2017 and decision on success will be announced in the end of the year.

Best of luck, and we look forward to reading your application.

Transplantation Journal - Featured Article

Submitted by Dr Joel T. Adler, Editorial Fellow, Transplantation.

Initial outcomes of pure laparoscopic living donor right hepatectomy in an experienced adult living donor liver transplant center.
Kim KH, Kang SH, Jung DH, et al.
Transplantation. 2017 ;101(5):1106-1110.

Pure laparoscopic living donor right hepatectomies are rarely performed due to the experience required in both laparoscopic liver surgery and liver transplantation. Kim et al describe their experience, techniques, and lessons learned with 3 young female donors who underwent a pure laparoscopic right hepatectomy. While the initial outcomes are encouraging with brief, warm ischemia time (< 5 min.), and no need for transfusions or other postoperative complications, the procedure needs to be further evaluated prior to widespread use in even the most favorable of donors.

READ MORE

IN THE NEWS

Scientists edit pig genome with goal of human organ transplants
CNN - Using the genome-editing technology CRISPR, scientists deactivated a family of retroviruses within the pig genome overcoming a large hurdle in the path to the transplant of pig organs into humans.

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TTS IHQ Note: CRISPR and other exciting advancements will be on display at IXA 2017- visit www.ixa2017.org for more details.

Australian scientists could end need for donated livers
Scientists in Melbourne are using a world-first human cell regeneration technique to create organs in a dish in an effort to grow liver tissue for transplants.

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First-ever transplant for acute liver failure in Sri Lanka
It was meant to be – with even the tiniest detail falling into place promptly, paving the way for the first-ever liver transplant for acute liver failure in Sri Lanka.

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Is that Possible to Trick Body into Accepting Organ Transplants?
Scientists there have created a way to mask the foreign body of the donor organ from the host’ immune system with the use of a new nanoparticle drug conveyance method.

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Sequencing Cell-Free DNA Shotgun Sequencing Method Detects Transplant Rejection
Noninvasive shotgun sequencing can be used to detect organ transplant rejection without prior knowledge of the donor's genotype, according to researchers from Stanford University and Cornell University.entre Winnipeg, in Canada) and his colleagues looked to see if the extent of mismatch in the tissues of the donor and the recipient, when studied at the molecular level, provides such a method.

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Routine hospital tool found to predict poor outcomes after liver transplantation
A routinely used hospital tool can predict which liver transplant recipients are more likely to do poorly after surgery, according to a study led by Cedars-Sinai. The findings could help doctors identify which patients should receive physical therapy or other targeted interventions to improve their recovery.

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Uganda - Mulago ready for organ transplant but there is no law -Baterana
Legislators have been asked to fast track the passing of the organ transplant bill. According to the Executive Director of Mulago Hospital Dr. Byarugaba Baterana, Uganda is expected to start performing organ transplants by October this year but this can only be done if there is a legal framework in place.

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Young Members Corner

Submitted by Fadi Issa

The TTS Young Members Committee is keen to ensure the continued development of surgeons and scientists at an early stage of their careers in transplantation. It is easy for established faculty to forget the difficult early years, or even reminisce about the past with rose-tinted spectacles. However, it is undoubtedly true that starting out is tough – there is no job security, finances are tight, there is little ‘home life’ stability and a great deal of (healthy) competition. During these times support from senior colleagues is invaluable: they are role models, can help navigate difficult career paths, provide untold wisdom, and serve as a valuable sounding board. I owe much of my development over the years to a number mentors, and in particular I would like to thank Professor Kathryn Wood and Mr Tim Goodacre. These types of relationships do not develop overnight and require a great deal of trust and commitment. Going full circle, as I begin to mentor junior colleagues I now realise how rewarding it is to see a colleague develop and progress.

Over recent years the mentoring process has been formalised with a number of schemes being publicised. The Young Members Committee believes that the field of transplantation requires a particular type of mentoring relationship: the speciality involves an intense workload and requires multi-specialty input, practised across large geographical areas and multiple teams, by individuals with a strong bond to basic science and immunology. We are exploring methods for facilitating and strengthening mentoring relationships within TTS. If you are interested in helping develop such a scheme or if you have ideas about how you would like this to work, please get in touch at ymc@tts.org.