The past, present and future of organ transplantation was discussed at the latest instalment of Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar’s medical lecture series, the Grand Rounds.

The lecture was delivered by Dr Manikkam Suthanthiran, the Stanton Griffis Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Chief, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York.

Dr Suthanthiran highlighted the difficulties of organ transplants and how the procedure essentially defies our biology.

“Organ transplantation, without any doubt, is a medical miracle as we are designed evolutionary to distinguish ourselves from others,” he said. “Our whole defence system immediately recognises the transplanted organ as different from self and tries to damage and destroy it, so to take this organ - even though it is life-saving - and place it in to someone else’s body, well it is a miracle that it works.”

He said it was Dr Joseph Murray, a pioneer of organ transplantation who conducted the world’s first kidney transplant in 1954. Nobel Prize winner Dr Murray was able to bypass the body’s natural immune-response system as the transplant was between two identical twins. The recipient of the kidney went on to live for eight more years.

Although the first transplant was a success, most early attempts failed. In 1963, the survival rate for a kidney transplant was just one in 10, whereas now more than 90% of patients can expect to survive, mainly due to improved immune-suppressive drugs, without which the recipient’s body will attack and destroy the transplanted organ.

Dr Suthanthiran and colleagues including Dr Karsten Suhre, professor of physiology and biophysics at WCM-Q, are working on the development of non-invasive molecular tests to make transplants safer and treatment highly individualised.

While transplants now enjoy a high success rate, doctors must still battle against organ rejection, infections and a shortage of donor organs.

Dr Suthanthiran, who was speaking at WCM-Q to an audience of physicians, researchers, students and healthcare professionals, said that xenotransplantation, whereby organs from other species are used, is a promising area of research that could potentially relieve the donor shortage.

The Grand Rounds, developed by WCM-Q’s Division of Continuing Professional Development provides a platform for expert speakers to engage with healthcare professionals in the community to disseminate knowledge of the latest developments in medical technology, research and best practice.