MT. LAUREL, N.J., April 18, 2013 – New scientific and clinical information relevant to solid organ and tissue transplantation will be revealed at the 2013 American Transplant Congress (ATC), May 18-22, in Seattle, WA. Research focused on the genetic theory of infectious diseases and the future of personalized medicine for organ transplantation will be presented during the State-of-the-Art lectures.
Jean-Laurent Casanova, MD, PhD, professor and Head of St. Giles Laboratory of Human Genetics and Infectious Diseases at The Rockefeller University, will deliver the State-of-the-Art Address on Sunday, May 19, “Toward a Genetic Theory of Infectious Diseases.” Dr. Casanova will present a historical review of infectious disease theories related to the genetic predisposition toward infection in some individuals. He will also focus on other theories related to infectious disease, specifically microbes as the sole causative agent.
“Clinicians and surgeons in the transplant field are confronted with infectious diseases on a daily basis, and they know that infection strikes some but not all patients for a given transplant, a given condition, or a given regimen of immunosuppression,” said Casanova. “Understanding why some patients—but not all—are suffering from any given infectious disease is essential.”
Surgeon and researcher Shaf Keshavjee MD, will deliver the State-of-the-Art Address, “The Future of Transplantation: Personalized Medicine for the Organ” on Monday, May 20. Dr. Keshavjee’s lecture will focus on advances in treating donor organs to enhance their suitability for transplantation.
“Since the inception of successful transplantation, the goal has been to preserve organs after extraction, rule out infection and ensure reasonable function,” said Keshavjee. “By treating organs in a targeted way to address specific problems, we can make them superior to the way we found them.”
Dr. Keshavjee is Director of the Toronto Lung Transplant Program, Surgeon-in-Chief, Sprott Department of Surgery at University Health Network, and Professor of the Division of Thoracic Surgery & Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto. His current research involves lung injury, gene therapy and ex vivo repair of lungs for transplantation.
“We have developed a system to keep lungs alive outside of the body for a period of time without damaging them,” said Keshavjee. “We apply our diagnostics to obtain answers in a timely manner and apply targeted treatments for specific injuries.”
In addition to the State-of-the-Art lectures, the ATC meeting will feature a multitude of programs designed for physicians, surgeons, scientists, nurses, organ procurement personnel, advanced practice providers, pharmacists, administrators and allied health professionals interested in solid organ and tissue transplantation. Throughout the five-day event, the scientific and clinical knowledge of worldwide transplant professionals will be challenged and stretched as a variety of groundbreaking research is presented.
Additional information about the American Transplant Congress can be found at http://2013.atcmeeting.org.
About ATC
The 2013 American Transplant Congress (ATC) is the 13th Joint Annual Meeting of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons and the American Society of Transplantation and will take place May 18-21, in Seattle, WA. The program encourages the exchange of new scientific and clinical information and supports an interchange of opinions regarding care and management issues, as well as socioeconomic, ethical and regulatory issues relevant to organ and tissue transplantation. To learn more, visit http://www.atcmeeting.org/ or connect with ATC on Twitter and Facebook.
About ASTS
Since 1974, the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) has pioneered to advance the frontiers of life sustaining solid organ and tissue transplantation. ASTS represents all members of the transplant team and is committed to fostering the practice and science of transplantation and guiding those who make policy decisions by advocating for comprehensive and innovative solutions to the needs of ASTS members and their patients. Visit us at www.ASTS.org
About AST
The American Society of Transplantation is an international organization of transplant professionals who are dedicated to advancing the field of transplantation and improving patient care by promoting research, education, advocacy and organ donation. The Society comprises more than 3,200 transplant physicians, surgeons, scientists and allied health professionals. For more information about the Society, go to www.a-s-t.org.
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