ATI Undergraduate Summer Student Award 2023

The Alberta Transplant Institute is delighted to announce the recipients of three undergraduate research studentships for the Summer of 2023. The annual ATI Summer Studentships allow undergraduate students the opportunity to undertake a summer research project in the laboratory of an ATI member. Two awards spanning various domains of donation and transplantation research have been contributed by the ATI. In addition, the Jamie Fleming Summer Studentship Award was made by a generous donation from Nancy Fleming, in memory of her husband, Jamie, and is awarded to an undergraduate student registered full-time at the University of Alberta for a research project relevant to lung transplantation. This remarkable initiative promises to nurture young talents and driving progress in the field of organ donation and transplantation research.

 

 

Ivan Ma

Project title: The Use of Ice Recrystallization Inhibitors (IRIs) and Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion to Facilitate Lung Cryopreservation

Supervisor: Dr. Jason Acker

(Studentship sponsored by Jamie Fleming Summer Studentship Award)

Please provide a short abstract of your project funded by the ATI summer studentship.
Cryopreservation is suggested as one possible solution to drastically increase the preservation time of donor organs for transplantation. However, ice crystal growth during freeze-thaw causes irreparable damage to the cells. Therefore, ice recrystallization inhibitors (IRIs) can potentially be used to control ice growth during thawing to reduce freezing-induced damage. The lungs of Sprague Dawley rats are procured and then perfused on a perfusion apparatus for four hours. Lung compliance and vascular resistance will be monitored to evaluate lung health. The objective is to assess any possible toxicity effects and the ability of IRIs to control ice growth in lung tissue.

How has the support from the Alberta Transplant Institute aided your success in conducting research?
I am extremely grateful for the Alberta Transplant Institute (ATI) as I have been given the opportunity to lead my own research project and develop my skills as a researcher. The funding provided by ATI has allowed me to fully dedicate my time to this project. I have improved my practical skills involved with performing animal surgery and running organ perfusion experiments. In addition, I have learned various skills involved with running different assays and interpreting those results. My understanding of lung physiology has greatly improved and I feel much more confident in my skills as a researcher. All the experience that I have gained from this project is invaluable to me as I look to begin my Masters degree in the same department this Fall.

How would you describe your research project in plain language for a general audience?
One of the main issues faced with organ transplantations is that there are more organs needed than there are available for safe transplantation. The limited storage time of these donor organs contributes to the shortage of organs available for transplantation. Currently organs are stored in ice coolers for a few hours or attached to perfusion machines for a maximum of 12 to 24 hours. Below-zero degree storage (cryopreservation) of organs may extend storage time and help alleviate shortages of donor organs. However, an issue faced with organ preservation is ice growth both in and around the cells of the tissue as it causes irreparable damage. Although there are methods of cryopreserving organs without ice formation, those methods face issues of their own. Several species of cold-adapted animals can survive while “partially frozen” during the winter by generating special molecules to decrease their freezing temperature and control ice formation inside their cells. For example, wood frogs can survive temperatures as low as -20°C. Thus, the control of ice growth is being investigated as a viable solution for improved organ preservation. Ice recrystallization inhibitors (IRIs) are small molecules that are capable of preventing existing ice crystals from getting larger especially during thawing of frozen organs. Our experiment will use a novel system to perfuse rat lungs ex-situ (outside the body) with different concentrations of IRIs. The goal of this project is to establish ideal perfusion conditions, assess IRI function and minimize any potential toxic effects. The results of the work can help pave the way for an optimized cryopreservation protocol of donor lungs through identifying the safe concentrations of IRI that can be used and the best method of delivery. Additionally, similar protocols can be adapted to cryopreserve other organs such as kidneys, livers and hearts.

 

Kristi Papamihali

Project title: Intraoperative hemodynamic management and postoperative outcomes in liver transplantation: a multicenter study

Supervisor: Dr. Constantine Karvellas

(Studentship Sponsored by ATI)

Please provide a short abstract of your project funded by the ATI summer studentship.
Liver transplantation improves the survival of patients with end-stage liver disease. While post-transplant survival has improved over the years, postoperative complications are associated with increased mortality, readmissions, and cost of care. The objective of the ELIPTO project is to improve perioperative care and postoperative outcomes of liver transplant recipients in Canada. In this observational study, we will define the incidence of postoperative complications and measure the association between intraoperative hemodynamic management and postoperative outcomes. High-quality data generated from this study will identify clinical factors that improve outcomes for transplant recipients and optimize use of scarce organs available for liver transplantation.

How has the support from the Alberta Transplant Institute aided your success in conducting research?
The support from the Alberta Transplant Institute has allowed me to gain exposure to the highly specialized field of transplant medicine. Through this work I have been able to build a thorough understanding of complex clinical concepts around liver transplantation which will help me in my clinical work as a medical student. This project has allowed for early career exploration by working with specialists in internal medicine, critical care, surgery, and anesthesiology. I have had the opportunity to work collaboratively with a diverse group of physicians, at the same time expanding analytical and communications skills while working in a clinical research setting.

How would you describe your research project in plain language for a general audience?
For people experiencing end-stage liver disease a liver transplant is the only curative treatment option. However, complications during or after surgery sometimes occur, compromising patients’ health. For my research project I will be collecting data that will help identify areas where we can improve management and care of liver transplant patients prior to and during surgery, so that they experience minimal complications and improved health outcomes following their liver transplant.

 

Justin Co

Project title: Infection Risk Profile of Organ Donors in the (HOPE) Organ Donor Program

Supervisor: Dr. Karen Doucette

(Studentship Sponsored by ATI)

Please provide a short abstract of your project funded by the ATI summer studentship.
Increased Risk Donors (IRDs) are organ donors who engage in behaviours that increase their risk of acquiring certain blood borne viruses. In Canada, potential donors meeting IRD criteria are only eligible to donate via “exceptional distribution” (ED). We are reviewing donors in the Human Organ Procurement and Exchange Program from 2013-2022 to determine the proportion categorized as ED and of these, the portion that are due to IRD, the associated risk factors, donor virus serology, and recipient outcomes. We hypothesize that most ED applied is due to IRD classification and that outcomes from these donors are comparable to standard donors.

How has the support from the Alberta Transplant Institute aided your success in conducting research?
The support from the Alberta Transplant Institute has been instrumental in my success in conducting research in several ways. Firstly, ATI has enabled me to work in collaboration with the Human Organ Procurement and Exchange Program (HOPE); both the program itself, as well as individuals such as donor coordinators and administrators have provided knowledge and resources that have consistently guided me in the right direction. Through their expertise, I have gained valuable insights, including developing a greater appreciation of the field of transplant infectious diseases. In addition, I am greatly appreciative that the ATI provided funding over the course of my project, enabling me to perform research full-time this summer.

How would you describe your research project in plain language for a general audience?
Increased Risk Donors (IRDs) are organ donors who engage in behaviours that increase their risk of acquiring certain blood borne viruses such as HIV, HBV, and HCV. In Canada, potential donors meeting IRD criteria can only donate through a process of “exceptional distribution” (ED). In this study, we are reviewing donors in the Human Organ Procurement and Exchange Program from 2013 to 2022. We want to document how many of the donors during this period were classified as ‘ED’, as well as the following: a) risk factors that they may have had, b) their blood work for infections, and c) the outcomes of the individuals that received their organs. We hypothesize that the outcomes of transplantation from donors who were classified as ED due to IRD classification are ultimately similar to standard donors. Through our study, we seek to provide Canadian evidence to support update of Health Canada and Canadian Standards Association guidance.