Tag

Organ Transplant

All articles tagged with #organ transplant

business22 days ago•3 min saved

Billionaire-backed revival pushes LifeMine's fungal drug discovery

LifeMine Therapeutics raised a $188 million Series E led by Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos (with RA Capital), reviving its fungus-based drug-discovery platform after a prior round. The platform clusters genes from about 100,000 fungal strains and will apply AI to prioritize ~1,200 targets. Its lead program LIFE-001 is a next-gen calcineurin inhibitor aimed at reducing transplant rejection toxicity; phase 1b in 12 islet-cell transplant patients and phase 2 in 150 kidney transplant patients are planned with readouts targeted for 2027. A potential $25–$30 billion market in transplantation underpins optimism, with LifeMine eyeing autoimmune indications and ongoing or future partnerships (e.g., with GSK) while rehiring furloughed staff.

via Fierce Biotech|

#ai #biotech #business

science2 months ago•52 min saved

87-year-old Wheaton woman defies age in Illinois kidney transplant milestone

Sheila Perry, 87, of Wheaton, became Illinois’ oldest known woman to receive a kidney transplant in a March 6 procedure at Northwestern Medicine after roughly seven months on the UNOS waitlist. Medical teams say there is no formal age limit for kidney transplants, and Perry’s good health aside from kidney failure — plus techniques like spinal anesthesia — helped make the surgery feasible. Prior to the transplant, she had been on home peritoneal dialysis since July 2024, which gradually limited her mobility and travel. Now recovered, she aims to resume traveling, visiting museums and spending time with family, with plans to travel to Europe again. The field continues to push age boundaries, with over 22,000 kidney transplants in 2024 nationwide and fewer than 800 performed on people over 75; the oldest US record for a female transplant was 96 in 2009.

via Yahoo|

#aging #kidney-transplant #northwestern-medicine

health3 months ago•10 min saved

Quadruple organ transplant gives CF patient a new lease on life

Jasmine Jones, 28, underwent a groundbreaking 36-hour quadruple transplant at University of Chicago Medicine in January, receiving a new right and left lung, kidney, and liver from one donor—the first known procedure of its kind in Illinois. Five months later she’s back home and doing well, with doctors saying the multi-organ transplant shows how advances in perfusion and surgical technique are expanding options for patients with end-stage organ disease.

via Chicago Tribune|

#cystic-fibrosis #health #liver-transplant

medicine5 months ago•6 min saved

Living patient bridged by a gene-edited pig liver ahead of human transplant

A 56-year-old man with liver failure was connected to an externally perfused, genetically modified pig liver to keep him alive while awaiting a human liver transplant. The pig organ, engineered with six genetic changes to reduce rejection, functioned as a bridge for a few days; the patient subsequently received a human liver and is recovering. Researchers note the need for more details and that results should be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

via Nature|

#extracorporeal-perfusion #immunosuppression #medicine

science6 months ago•5 min saved

Researchers Create a Universal Kidney That Could Fit Any Recipient

Scientists have engineered a 'universal' kidney that can be accepted across blood types by using enzymes to strip away donor antigens and convert the kidney to a type O-like profile. The enzyme-converted kidney survived for days in a brain-dead recipient, signaling progress toward reducing transplant wait times, though long-term viability and immune responses remain challenges that need further work.

via Indian Defence Review|

#biotechnology #blood-type #enzymes

crime6 months ago•4 min saved

Texas Surgeon Charged in Federal Case Over Falsified Records Blocking Liver Transplants

A Houston surgeon, John Stevenson Bynon Jr., is federally charged with falsifying medical records to make five patients ineligible for liver transplant offers; three patients died and two later received transplants elsewhere. He pleaded not guilty, and a trial is set for April 6. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison and fines up to $250,000 per count.

via The New York Times|

#crime #falsified-medical-records #federal-indictment

health11 months ago•2 min saved

HHS and Congress Launch Reforms to Improve Organ Donation Safety and Fairness

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the termination of the Miami-based Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency due to safety and fairness concerns, marking the first time a federal organization responsible for organ donation has been shut down, as part of broader efforts to overhaul the national transplant system.

via The New York Times|

#federal-government #firing #health

health1 year ago•3 min saved

U.S. Organ Transplant System Under Scrutiny for Ethical Concerns and Reforms

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., announced major reforms to address systemic issues and unethical practices in the organ transplant system, including investigations revealing negligence and potential violations of donor rights, with strict corrective actions and increased oversight to ensure patient safety and restore trust.

via HHS.gov|

#ethical-concerns #health #hhs-reform

health1 year ago•2 min saved

Innovative Techniques Boost Heart Transplant Success and Availability

Surgeons at Duke University successfully resuscitated a 'dead' heart on the operating table and transplanted it into a baby, demonstrating a new technique that could increase the donor pool and address ethical concerns by reanimating hearts outside the donor's body. Meanwhile, Vanderbilt University developed a method to preserve hearts without reanimation, further advancing transplant options. Both approaches aim to save more infant lives and expand the possibilities of organ donation.

via ScienceAlert|

#ethical-concerns #health #heart-reanimation

health1 year ago•4 min saved

Man develops parasitic worms after kidney transplant at US hospital

Two men received kidneys from the same infected donor, leading to parasitic worm infections in both, which were successfully treated with ivermectin, highlighting the importance of screening for parasites like Strongyloides in organ transplants.

via Live Science|

#health #infection #medical-case-report

health1 year ago•2 min saved

Breakthrough Skin Cancer Cream Nears Approval

Researchers at the University of Queensland are developing a groundbreaking topical cream to prevent and treat skin cancers in organ transplant patients, with $344,000 in funding from the National Foundation for Medical Research and Innovation. The cream contains a novel drug that could prevent and treat early-stage skin cancers, particularly squamous cell carcinomas and Kaposi’s Sarcoma, which are risks for patients on immunosuppressive drugs. This development aims to progress the cream to clinical trials, offering a potentially life-changing treatment for transplant recipients.

via UQ News|

#drug-development #health #medical-research

sportshealth2 years ago•20 min saved

"Nate Robinson's Silent Battle: A Fight for Life"

Former NBA player Nate Robinson, a three-time slam dunk champion, has been battling kidney failure for years and is in urgent need of a transplant. Despite his fame and resources, Robinson has struggled to navigate the complex healthcare system and has been undergoing dialysis multiple times a week. His story highlights the challenges faced by many Americans, particularly Black Americans, in accessing timely and effective medical care. Robinson's journey has inspired many to offer help, and he remains hopeful for a transplant while raising awareness about kidney disease.

via ESPN|

#dialysis #kidney-failure #nate-robinson

health2 years ago•2 min saved

"Texas Hospital Suspends Organ Transplant Program Amid Doctor's Record Manipulation Accusations"

Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center in Houston has suspended its organ transplant program after allegations that a doctor manipulated patient records, making them ineligible for transplants. Dr. J. Steve Bynon Jr., a respected transplant surgeon, is accused of making inappropriate changes to the patient database, listing impossible characteristics that would disqualify patients from receiving transplants. The incident is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

via Gizmodo|

#doctor #health #hospital

health2 years ago•6 min saved

"Texas Hospital Investigates Alleged Manipulation of Liver and Kidney Transplant Records"

Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center in Houston has halted liver and kidney transplants as it investigates "inappropriate changes" to patient records in a government database, which may have prevented patients from receiving new organs. The hospital is looking into alterations to liver donor acceptance criteria that effectively made candidates on the liver transplant waiting list inactive. The US Department of Health and Human Services is involved in the investigation, and the physician under scrutiny, Dr. Steve Bynon Jr., has been removed from leadership roles in the transplant programs. Patients like Mandy Sears, who has been waiting for a kidney transplant, are left uncertain and concerned about their status amidst the allegations.

via CNN|

#health #houston-hospital #investigation

health2 years ago•2 min saved

"Urgent Need: Stories of Women Seeking Kidney Donors"

Maggie Hengst, a 75-year-old woman from York County, is in need of a kidney due to a rare kidney disease. She and her family are among the few affected by this condition, and after waiting for three years, she is making a plea for a living donor. Hengst hopes that someone will step up to share a spare kidney, as donors do not need to be the same blood type and the procedure is covered by her insurance.

via WGAL Susquehanna Valley Pa.|

#health #kidney-disease #living-donor