Gift supports organ transplant recipients

[okarol]

Gift supports organ transplant recipients

By Communications Staff
Monday, March 2, 2009

Research gave Pat Davis his life back. After three failed kidney transplants between 1988 and 1993, the Wallaceburg father was told a fourth transplant was impossible.

By 2006, he was at the point where he could no longer work and was ready to give up on dialysis. But research advances offered Davis one last chance.
 
Anthony Jevnikar, the Medical Director of Kidney Transplantation at London Health Sciences Centre’s University Hospital, tried a new, aggressive treatment to allow his immune system to accept a transplant.
 
In November 2007, Davis received a kidney donated by his wife Donna. “Four months after surgery I was back at work. My life is grand. I’m as healthy as anyone I know.” 
 
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the  Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at The University of Western Ontario today announced a new Clinical Research Chair in Transplantation to find ways to improve the outcomes of organ transplants for patients like Pat Davis.
 
The $1.1 million Chair will fund research by Jevnikar, a professor in the Departments of Medicine, Surgery and Microbiology & Immunology at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry and Co-Director of the Multi Organ Transplant Program in London. He is also a clinician scientist with the Lawson Health Research Institute.
 
“Basic research forms the basis of all our advances in patient care,” says Jevnikar. “By providing this funding, Wyeth, the CIHR and Western have clearly shown how important they believe translational research to be. The return on this investment will be measured not only in new research here, but in the lives of our patients with transplants.”
 
Jevnikar and his team are looking at how and why organs and tissues are damaged during transplantation in order to find ways to extend the life of a transplanted organ. Despite current anti-rejection drugs, transplanted kidneys, for instance, may last only 10 years in half of patients.
 
He is also investigating new methods for producing anti-rejection therapies using genetically modified plants as production factories for drugs that can not be produced by conventional methods at affordable costs.
 
"Canada needs to continue this important investment in research infrastructure and research teams, particularly in transplantation health, as more Canadians wait for life-saving transplants. We are proud of our work and sincerely grateful for this support,” adds Jevnikar.
 
“We are proud to partner with the CIHR and The University of Western Ontario on this Clinical Research Chair in Transplantation,” says Dr. Neil Maresky, Vice-President, Scientific Affairs, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. “We believe initiatives like this will lead to innovative treatments that will improve the lives of transplant patients in Canada, and around the world.”
 
The is one of five clinical research chairs in Canada funded by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals through the CIHR/Rx&D Collaborative Research Program.

http://communications.uwo.ca/com/western_news/stories/gift_supports_organ_transplant_recipients_20090302443777/