Non-invasive assessment of the conditional state of transplant organs

Non-invasive assessment of the conditional state of transplant organs

We capitalise on biological samples from transplant patients and from experimental and clinical ex vivo normothermic machine perfusion studies to identify biomarkers of organ quality and to investigate mechanisms of ischaemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and its effect on graft function. We are particularly interested in the role of extracellular vesicles in IRI and as a measurable indicator of the biological state of donor organs, and also on their potential for delivery of therapeutics. We utilise a range of research methods to isolate and characterise EVs (e.g. size-exclusion chromatography, NanoSight particle analysis, multi-parametric FC, TEM, microfluidics) and to analyse their cargo (RNA transcriptomics and proteomics). 

Collaborations:Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge; Core Bioinformatics Group and Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute. 

Key References

Spiers HVM, Stadler LKJ, Smith H, Kosmoliaptsis V. Extracellular Vesicles as Drug Delivery Systems in Organ Transplantation: The Next Frontier. Pharmaceutics. 2023; 15: 891

Ashcroft J, Leighton P, Elliot TR, Hosgood SA, Nicholson ML, Kosmoliaptsis V. Extracellular Vesicles in Kidney Transplantation: A State of the Art Review. Kidney International 2022; 101: 485