Collaborative working with University
I cannot emphasise too strongly how unique the Institute will be in the UK and how much it will facilitate clinical and basic scientists working the field of transplantation to collaborate on research topics and deliver improved patient care.
It is one of the most exciting developments in Medicine in the North East and represents an excellent example of how the NHS and University are working together.
Professor Paul A Corris, Professor of Thoracic Medicine and ex President of the Interntational Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT)
Give the gift of life
Organ donation is the gift of an organ to help someone else who needs a transplant.. One donor can give life to several people as well as restoring the sight of two more people.
Why not sign up to life now and give the gift of life today?
Institute of Transplantation
Research & Development
Based in the Faculty of Medical Sciences at Newcastle University, Newcastle’s academic clinicians undertake wide reaching research within the field of transplantation, often resulting in the development of innovative treatments and techniques; this provides transplant opportunities for patients with complex medical presentation and has, over the years, presented significant evidence based improvements in patient healthcare and clinical outcomes.
A strong programme of research based in the Institute of Cellular Medicine in the Faculty of Medical Sciences at Newcastle University underpins the clinical trials programme. The profile of research undertaken is comprehensive and encompasses both clinical trials and translational science.
Notable achievements to date include the development of a nonheart beating donor programme and the use of ex vivo perfusion of organs that will lead to increases in the number of transplants performed.
There is a coordinated focus on the causes of chronic allograft dysfunction, the major cause of organ failure post transplantation, and this translational work has led to a clinical trial funded by the Medical Research Council.
All of our translational work addresses important clinical problems and the results of our research are communicated via presentations at learned societies and peer reviewed papers in scientific journals.
Our Research Council and charitable research funding in transplantation is currently in excess of £2 million.
Teaching and Education
The Newcastle Hospitals place a strong emphasis on research and education, teaching junior surgeons and physicians from not only the UK but also from overseas. Many international fellows spend significant periods of training in Newcastle prior to successfully taking up Consultant posts in their resident country.
The Institute of Transplantation will enhance the educational objectives of medical students, residents and fellows by adopting a cohesive approach to teaching as well as hosting regional and national conventions. A unique programme of education in all facets of transplantation will be provided, strengthening our academic base in the clinical environment to enhance opportunities for research.
Close partnership working
Academic medicine in Newcastle continues to go from strength to strength due largely to our strong partnerships with the Faculty of Medical Sciences at Newcastle University. The Institute of Transplantation will enable us to build upon this well established alliance as well as relatively recent synergies arising from exciting and groundbreaking collaborative work with the Centre for Life and Newcastle Science City.
Newcastle is already a national leader in stem cell harvesting – we have assembled a world class research institute - the Institute of Human Genetics. This is led by experts exploring the potential of cutting edge stem cell and genetic science, with the hope that they can help support failing organs and perhaps one day provide an alternative to transplantation altogether by finding methods of curing the cause of the disease.
