American Transplant Congress Research Articles

The dangerous precedent of censoring scientific dissemination

The American Transplant Congress (ATC) is the largest national transplant meeting in the United States jointly sponsored by the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. The 2024 ATC was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during which a number of peer-reviewed scientific abstracts were censored from the program by the Health Resources and Services Administration. These abstract presentations were redacted from the program for perceived conflict with current government policy effectively restricting dissemination of highly rated findings and discussion in a scientific forum. In this viewpoint, we describe the content of the abstracts that were withdrawn from the annual ATC meeting and the implications of this censorship by the Health Resources and Services Administration. We further consider the ramifications of this action for the prospective evaluation of government policy and the relationship of the contract agency with the transplant community in the context of ongoing discussions of modernizing the transplant system which has previously been critiqued for lack of transparency.

Exploring Divergent Views: A Comparative Study of Uterus Transplantation Perceptions among Transplant and Obstetrics/Gynecology Providers.

Background: Uterus transplantation (UTx) provides women with absolute uterine-factor infertility (AUFI) the opportunity to carry their own pregnancy and deliver a child. There are multiple ethical and medical concerns associated with UTx. Since the last survey of US provider perceptions of UTx in 2018, there have been additional reports of successful transplantations and pregnancies. This study aimed to identify the perception of UTx among providers involved in the diagnosis of AUFI and on the transplant team to help us understand knowledge gaps and determine what barriers must be overcome for UTx to be used in general clinical practice. Methods: We administered REDCap surveys to conference attendees at the 2023 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) conference and 2023 American Transplant Congress (ATC). Participants were recruited by medical student volunteers. Results: Two hundred ACOG and ATC attendees completed the survey. Medical concerns related to UTx were reported by 42% of providers from ACOG compared to 22% of providers from ATC. Overall, 76% of participants agreed that UTx should be an option for patients with congenital AUFI. Lastly, 68% of participants agreed that the procedure should be presented as an option for transgender women. Conclusions: This study further elucidates the perception of UTx among obstetricians/gynecologists and transplant physicians. We found greater support for the procedure than in previous studies. This study also demonstrates provider support for presenting this procedure as an option for transgender women.

Machine perfusion organ preservation: Highlights from the American Transplant Congress 2023.

The American Transplant Congress (ATC) 2023, held in San Diego, California, emerged as a pivotal platform showcasing the latest advancements in organ machine perfusion, a key area in solid organ and tissue transplantation. This year's congress, attended by over 4500 participants, including leading experts, emphasized innovations in machine perfusion technologies across various organ types, including liver, kidney, heart, and lung. A total of 85 abstracts on organ machine perfusion were identified. Noteworthy advancements included the use of normothermic machine perfusion in mitigating ex-situ reperfusion injury in liver transplantation, the potential of biomarkers in assessing organ quality, and the impact of machine perfusion on graft survival and ischemic cholangiopathy incidence. Kidney transplantation saw promising developments in novel preservation methods, such as subzero storage and pulsatile perfusion. Heart and lung sessions revealed significant progress in preservation techniques, including metabolic alterations to extend organ preservation time. The conference also highlighted the growing interest in machine perfusion applications in pediatric transplantation, multi-visceral organ recovery, Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation, and discussions on novel technologies for monitoring and optimizing perfusion protocols. Additionally, ATC 2023 included critical discussions on ethical concerns, legal implications, and the evolving definition of death in the era of machine preservation, illustrating the complex landscape of transplantation science. Overall, ATC 2023 showcased significant strides in machine perfusion and continued its tradition of fostering global knowledge exchange, further cementing machine perfusion's role as a transformative force in improving transplant outcomes and expanding the donor pool.

Applying Genomics to Unravel Health Disparities in Organ Transplantation: Paul I. Terasaki State-of-the-art Lecture; American Transplant Congress 2021.

An extensive body of research about team science provides empirical evidence that diverse teams outperform homogenous teams in creating more innovative solutions to complex problems. At the core of diverse and inclusive teams is a rich diversity of perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds that invite new questions and broaden the scope of research. Diverse perspectives are especially relevant for biomedicine, which seeks to find solutions for challenging problems affecting the human condition. It is essential that diversity and inclusion in biomedicine is prioritized as a key driver of innovation, both through the people who conduct the research and the science itself. Key questions have been articulated as important drivers for funding research: (1) Who is doing the science and who is building the tools? (2) What science and technology is being done and how? and (3) Who has access to the knowledge and benefits of scientific innovation? I will briefly review the empirical evidence supporting diversity as a powerful enhancer of the quality and outputs of research and clinical care. I offer my own research as a case study of incorporating a framework of diversity, equity, and inclusion into research that uses new emerging genomic tools for earlier and more precise diagnosis of organ transplant rejection. I will demonstrate how these same tools hold great promise for accelerating the discovery of hitherto unexplored mechanisms that drive the poor outcomes for African ancestry organ transplant recipients, which in turn will identify new diagnostics and therapeutic targets that benefit transplant recipients across all ancestries.

May Meeting Announcements

May 7-10, 2023, American Nephrology Nurses Association 2023 National Symposium, Renaissance Palm Springs & Palm Springs Convention Center, Palm Springs, California. www.annanurse.org/events/2023-national-symposium or call 888-600-2662. June 3-7, 2023, American Transplant Congress 2023, San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, California. www.atcmeeting.org/# or call 703-414-7870. June 15-18, 2023, 60th European Renal Association-European Dialysis and Transplantation Association Congress, Milano Convention Center, Milan, Italy. [email protected]. October 7-10, 2023, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo 2023, Colorado Convention Center, Denver, Colorado. www.eatright.org/FNCE or call 800-877-1600 ext. 4862. October 14-16, 2023, American Nephrology Nurses Association Fall Meeting, Hilton Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. www.annanurse.org/events/2023-nephrology-nursing-practice-management-leadership-conference or call 888-600-2662. November 2-5, 2023, American Society of Nephrology Kidney Week 2023, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. www.asn-online.org/education or call 866-849-8868. May 14-18, 2024, National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical Meeting, Long Beach, California. Visit www.kidney.org. or call 800-622-9010. August 28-31, 2024, International Society on Renal Nutrition and Metabolism, 21st Congress of the International Society of Renal Nutrition and Metabolism, Hyderabad, India. www.icrnm2024.com. September 26-29, 2024, International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis, 40th Anniversary Congress, Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. www.ispd.org/dubai2024.

Machine perfusion organ preservation: Highlights from the American Transplant Congress 2022.

The American Transplant Congress 2022, which took place between June 4th and June 8th of 2022, was a hybrid meeting with in-person attendance in Boston-MA and a real-time virtual experience via an online platform. First, we identified abstracts discussing machine perfusion preservation for all organs, a hot topic and approach that may develop into the new gold standard of organ preservation in the near future. A total of 39 abstracts on organ machine preservation were presented at the meeting. Next, we selected abstracts which focus on advances including new approaches to organ preservation, promising biomarkers, ex-situ treatment including cellular therapies, and novel research areas. Here, we summarized the latest developments on machine perfusion preservation in both experimental and clinical studies.

Pharmacotherapy of chronic lung allograft dysfunction post lung transplantation.

Chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) remains the primary cause of death in lung transplant recipients (LTRs) despite improvements in immunosuppression management. Despite advances in knowledge regarding the pathogenesis of CLAD, treatments that are currently available are usuallyineffective and delay progression of disease at best.There are currently no evidence-based guidelines and minimal publications regarding the optimal treatment ofCLAD. To complete a comprehensive review of the literature for the prevention and medical management of CLAD. We identified the major domains of the medical management of CLAD and conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed and Embase databases to identify articles published from inception to December 2021 related to CLAD in LTRs. Studies published in English pertaining to the pharmacologic prevention and treatment of CLAD were included; highest priority was given to prospective, randomized, controlled trials if available. Prospective observational and retrospective controlled trials were prioritized next, followed by retrospective uncontrolled studies, case series, and finally case reports if the information was deemed to be pertinent. Reference lists of qualified publications were also reviewed to find any other publications of interest that were not found on initial search.In the absence of literature published in the aforementioned databases, additional articles were identified by reviewing abstracts presented at the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation and American Transplant Congress annual meetings between 2010-2021. CLAD should be identified as early as possible along with prompt intervention to optimize the possibility of stabilizing or improving lung function. More robust clinical data is needed to validate the use of all currently available and investigational treatment options for CLAD to identify the optimal pharmacotherapy management for this patient population.

Keyword Index

American Journal of TransplantationVolume 22, Issue S3 p. 1172-1178 Keyword Index Keyword Index First published: 22 August 2022 https://doi.org/10.1111/ajt.17075AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume22, IssueS3Special Issue: 2022 American Transplant Congress AbstractsJune 2022Pages 1172-1178 AST and ASTS members - please log in via your Society website for full journal access.AST Members >> ASTS Members >> RelatedInformation

Oral Abstracts

American Journal of TransplantationVolume 22, Issue S3 p. 331-606 Oral Abstracts Oral Abstracts First published: 22 August 2022 https://doi.org/10.1111/ajt.17072AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume22, IssueS3Special Issue: 2022 American Transplant Congress AbstractsJune 2022Pages 331-606 AST and ASTS members - please log in via your Society website for full journal access.AST Members >> ASTS Members >> RelatedInformation

Machine perfusion organ preservation: Highlights from the American Transplant Congress 2021.

The American Transplant Congress 2021 was a virtual meeting and occurred between June 4 and June 9 through an online platform. We highlighted abstracts discussing machine perfusion preservation, a hot topic that may become the gold standard of organ preservation in the future. A total of 33 abstracts on organ machine preservation (3 for heart, 4 for lungs, 18 for liver, and 8 for kidneys) were presented at the meeting. We selected 23 abstracts that showed advances including new approaches to organ preservation, promising treatments and biomarkers, cellular therapy, and novel research areas. Here, we summarize the new developments concerning machine perfusion in both experimental and clinical studies.

Oral Abstracts

American Journal of TransplantationVolume 21, Issue S4 p. 287-508 Oral AbstractsFree Access Oral Abstracts First published: 11 October 2021 https://doi.org/10.1111/ajt.16847AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume21, IssueS4Special Issue: 2021 American Transplant Congress AbstractsJune 2021Pages 287-508 AST and ASTS members - please log in via your Society website for full journal access.AST Members >> ASTS Members >> RelatedInformation

Program

Program

Editorial introductions

Current Opinion in Organ Transplantation was launched in 1996. It is part of a successful series of review journals whose unique format is designed to provide a systematic and critical assessment of the literature as presented in the many primary journals. The field of organ transplantation is divided into 18 sections that are reviewed once a year. Each section is assigned a Section Editor, a leading authority in the area, who identifies the most important topics at that time. Here we are pleased to introduce the Section Editors for this issue. SECTION EDITORS Didier A. MandelbrotDidier A. MandelbrotDr Mandelbrot is currently Medical Director of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation at UW Health and Professor of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine. He was an undergraduate at Harvard College, medical student at the University of Pennsylvania, resident in Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and renal fellow at Brigham and Women's Hospital. He has a background in basic transplant immunology and a longstanding interest in the diagnosis and treatment of solid organ rejection. He has participated in numerous single and multi-center clinical trials in kidney transplantation, and has published almost 200 papers and chapters. He has made important contributions on the role of donor-specific antibodies in the context of kidney transplantation, pancreas transplantation and simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation. He also has a particular interest in living kidney donation, and has been active in describing and improving practices in the US. He was co-PI of the NIH-funded Kidney Donor Outcomes Cohort study and recently finished serving as Chair of the American Society of Transplantation's Living Donor Community of Practice. He is currently a member of the United Network of Organ Sharing Medical and Professional Standards Committee, the American Transplant Congress Program Planning Committee, and the Medical Board of the National Kidney Registry. He is an Associate Editor of Clinical Transplantation. Maria SiemionowMaria SiemionowDr Siemionow, a world-renowned scientist and microsurgeon, is Professor of Orthopedics and Director of Microsurgery Research at The University of Illinois at Chicago. She specializes in microsurgery, hand surgery, peripheral nerve surgery, transplantation, and microsurgery research. She is pioneering development of new technology for minimal immunosuppression in transplantation and enhancement of nerve and muscle regeneration. She served as a President of the American Society for Reconstructive Transplantation, President of the International Hand and Composite Tissue Allotransplantation Society and President of the American Society for Peripheral Nerve. She is a member of the academic-industry team, Warrior Restoration Consortium, focusing on development of clinical therapies and new technologies for wounded soldiers as part of the second phase of the Armed Forces Institute for Regenerative Medicine (AFIRM II). She has received numerous honors, including high praise as Principal Investigator for the world's first IRB approval for Facial Allograft Transplantation protocol; in 2008, she led the team that performed the first near-total face transplantation in the United States. Dr Siemionow has over 330 scientific publications. She has edited three plastic surgery textbooks, two popular science books, and has contributed to over 120 published book chapters. Dr Siemionow received numerous awards including the Polish Order of Merit (2009), the Commander's Cross Polonia Restituta Award from the President of Poland (2009), the Outstanding Achievement in Clinical Research Award from the Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation (2010); the 2011 American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ Board of Trustees Special Achievement Award and Casimir Funk National Science Award (2013). In 2014 she received the Great Immigrants Award from the Carnegie Foundation of New York. In 2016 Dr Siemionow was awarded the Heritage Award granted by the Polish American Congress. In 2019 she received Golden Otis Award. Prior to her UIC appointment, she was Director of Plastic Surgery Research and Head of Microsurgical Training for Cleveland Clinic's Department of Plastic Surgery. Jeffery A. KahnJeffery A. KahnDr Jeffrey A. Kahn completed his undergraduate training at the University at Albany, State University of New York, medical school training at the State University of New York, Upstate Medical University and internal medicine residency at Emory University. He then went on to fellowship training in gastroenterology at the University of Southern California and transplant hepatology training at Cedars Sinai-Sinai Medical Center. He has been the medical director of the Keck School of Medicine of USC Liver Transplant Program since 2011, with a special interest in living donor liver transplantation and transfusion-free liver transplantation. His research interests include liver transplant waitlist disparities, liver transplant outcomes and has ongoing translational research related to occult hepatitis C infection.

Highlights from the American Transplant Congress 2020

Highlights from the American Transplant Congress 2020

Securing the future of kidney transplantation by addressing the challenges of transplant nephrology.

Kidney transplant is a life-changing procedure, and transplant nephrologists, as part of a larger transplant team, play an important role in the field by managing the complex medical needs of transplant patients. The subspecialty of transplant nephrology, however, faces structural challenges related to its workforce, reporting structures, compensation, research and innovation, and health care information technology. The position of transplant nephrology at the academic and operational intersection of medicine and surgery may limit its access to critical resources, hinder academic promotion, and contribute to physician burnout. The authors provide an overview of the subspecialty transplant nephrology and propose solutions. Collaborative efforts that fortify the subspecialty of transplant nephrology will ultimately improve the lives of patients suffering from kidney disease.

Body Mass Index as a Patient Selection Criterion for Kidney Transplant

There is currently no consensus on the ideal body mass index (BMI) for kidney transplantation, yet an elevated BMI can limit access to transplantation. This study explored the attitudes of kidney transplant professionals regarding BMI as a selection criterion for kidney transplantation. Brief, in-person interviews were conducted at the 2016 American Transplant Congress. Participants were queried on their views regarding kidney transplant eligibility for patients with classes 1, 2, and 3 obesity, as well as their transplant centers’ BMI-related policies. Most (88%) of the 94 participants did not consider class 1 obesity (BMI 30 to < 35) a contraindication to kidney transplantation, with a greater number of participants reluctant to consider patients with class 2 (BMI 35 to < 40) or class 3 obesity (BMI ³ 40) for transplantation. Participants identified a mean maximum BMI 2.3 points higher than the mean maximum BMI reported in transplant center patient selection criteria policies. Overall, kidney transplant professionals viewed BMI as a useful patient selection criterion when considered within the larger context of the patient’s clinical picture. Future research should assess outcomes for transplant recipients with varying obesity levels.

Poster Abstracts

American Journal of TransplantationVolume 20, Issue S3 p. 539-1166 POSTER ABSTRACTS Free Access Poster Abstracts First published: 09 July 2020 https://doi.org/10.1111/ajt.16171 AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume20, IssueS3Special Issue: 2020 American Transplant Congress AbstractsApril 2020Pages 539-1166 AST and ASTS members - please log in via your Society website for full journal access.AST Members >> ASTS Members >> RelatedInformation

2020 American Transplant Congress Abstracts.

American Journal of TransplantationVolume 20, Issue S3 p. 5-253 PROGRAM Free Access Day-at-a-Glance and Program First published: 09 July 2020 https://doi.org/10.1111/ajt.16169 AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume20, IssueS3Special Issue: 2020 American Transplant Congress AbstractsApril 2020Pages 5-253 AST and ASTS members - please log in via your Society website for full journal access.AST Members >> ASTS Members >> RelatedInformation

Oral Abstracts

American Journal of TransplantationVolume 20, Issue S3 p. 254-538 ORAL ABSTRACTSFree Access Oral Abstracts First published: 09 July 2020 https://doi.org/10.1111/ajt.16170AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume20, IssueS3Special Issue: 2020 American Transplant Congress AbstractsApril 2020Pages 254-538 AST and ASTS members - please log in via your Society website for full journal access.AST Members >> ASTS Members >> RelatedInformation

Editorial introductions

Current Opinion in Organ Transplantation was launched in 1996. It is part of a successful series of review journals whose unique format is designed to provide a systematic and critical assessment of the literature as presented in the many primary journals. The field of organ transplantation is divided into 18 sections that are reviewed once a year. Each section is assigned a Section Editor, a leading authority in the area, who identifies the most important topics at that time. Here we are pleased to introduce the Journal's Section Editors for this issue. SECTION EDITORS Xian C. LiXian C. LiDr Xian C. Li is Professor of Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine of Cornell University and director of Immunobiology &Transplant Sciences at Houston Methodist Hospital in Houston Texas. He also holds the Max and Lillie Frosch Centennial Chair at Houston Methodist. His lab studies the fundamental mechanisms of transplant rejection and transplant tolerance. The goal of his team is to advance transplant medicine through fundamental research. Dr. Xian Li is recognized with many awards and elected memberships; He received the American Society of Transplantation (AST) Young Investigator Award, AST Wyeth Basic Science Award, and the AST Wyeth Achievement Award. Dr. Li has served in the AST basic science advisory council, TTS basic science committee, chair of the AST Grants Executive Committee, and Chair of ATC 2018. He is an elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, a standing member of the NIH study sections and DOD grant review panels. He is now an associate editor of American Journal of Transplantation and the journal of Transplantation. Linda C. CendalesLinda C. CendalesDr Linda C. Cendales, MD, is an Associate Professor of Surgery, a Duke Health Scholar, and the Director of the Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation at Duke University Medical Center. During her fellowship in Hand and Microsurgery, Dr Cendales helped organize the first VCA team in the U.S. and participated in the country's first two hand transplants in Louisville, KY. She was subsequently the first surgeon accepted into the Transplant Surgery and Immunobiology Fellowship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). During her time at the NIH, Dr Cendales established and published a model of VCA in nonhuman primates and has one of the largest experiences in VCA in non-human primates reported in the scientific literature. She organized the first international symposium on VCA histopathology at the International Banff Conferences on Allograft Pathology leading to the published classification system now used as a standard for clinical reporting of rejection. Prior to joining Duke, Dr Cendales established the VCA program at Emory University and led the multi-disciplinary team that performed Georgia's first hand transplant in March 2011. While at Duke, Dr Cendales established the VCA program and led the multi-disciplinary team that performed North Carolina's first hand transplant and first bilateral hand transplant in May 2016 and in November 2018 respectively. Dr Cendales is the Principal Investigator of clinical and translational studies in VCA funded by the U.S. Department of Defense. Dr Cendales is an Associate Editor for the American Journal of Transplantation, is the Chair of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network/United Network for Organ Sharing (OPTN/UNOS) Vascularized Composite Allograft (VCA) Committee, and the co-chair elect of the American Transplant Congress, and the Past-President of the International Society of Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation Society (ISVCA). She has co-authored numerous scientific manuscripts, abstracts, and invited publications. Similarly, Dr Cendales has made countless presentations at national and international meetings.