The University of Colorado has been at the vanguard of transplant research and care since the 1950s.
It is here that the world's first liver transplant took place! Our research is supported by the University of Colorado Department of Surgery and the Colorado Center for Transplant Care, Research and Education (CCTCARE)
At CU, we do Basic Science Research for both the liver and the kidney.
The Liver:
Ongoing liver research efforts are in the Division of Transplant Surgery regarding several models of ischemia-reperfusion injury and regeneration. In general, the cumulative focus is on the role of extracellular adenosine signaling following liver injury and developing therapeutic strategies to reduce post-reperfusion organ dysfunction.
At present, we have established the Human Transplant Tissue Bank, which allows us to evaluate tissue changes in the setting of transplantation at both the cellular and molecular level in human specimens. This is an essential tool by which to establish clinically relevant laboratory lines of investigation in vivo and in vitro.
The Kidney:
The best treatment for end-stage renal disease is a kidney transplant. For appropriate candidates, kidney transplants decrease the rate of death in the next ten years by 50%. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of usable donor kidneys. Our ongoing research is focused on reducing the injury that occurs when a kidney is removed from a donor, stored for a short time, and then transplanted into the recipient.
Limiting this injury would provide better short- and long-term results from kidneys that are currently being used, as well as allow us to use kidneys that would otherwise be discarded.
The Colorado Center for Transplant Care Research and Education supports numerous research initiatives, including funding laboratories to further our knowledge and understanding of the transplant world.
The Coagulation Lab is funded by the CCTCARE and the NIH. The lab focuses on the coagulation system and how it can impair or heal organs after injury. Click here to learn more about this lab.
The CCTCARE has a team of researchers focusing on Transplant Outcomes and Policy. The team is led by Dr. Jesse Schold.
Dr. Schold’s research interests include database analyses, quality metrics for healthcare providers, health services research, addressing disparities in access to healthcare, and statistical and epidemiological methods. Dr.Schold and his team bring more than 50 years of experience conducting outcomes research. Our aims are to utilize research methods to help establish best transplant practices, guide transplant policy, and increase access to transplantation. We welcome collaborations from investigators focused on improving the lives of transplant patients and patients with end-organ disease.
CU has a robust list of publications over the years.
If you'd like an extensive list of all our past publications in a Printer-friendly format.