The nPOD-Transplant (nPOD-T) Working Group is a JDRF-funded study, based at the University of Miami in Miami, Florida, aimed at scientifically researching human pancreatic tissue from organ donors who have had a pancreas transplant. By studying both transplant and native tissue from these donors, nPOD-T will fill a void in scientific research where human specimens were not previously available.
Studying these human tissues should provide valuable insight into islet autoimmunity, specifically about its long-term persistence and help in investigating the regenerative potential of the pancreas. Studying tissues, specifically from immunosuppressed, transplanted patients, can potentially be of critical importance in addressing key questions about type 1 diabetes and for developing a means to cure it.
nPOD-T aims to collect human tissue in three different settings:
- Specimens from already archived pancreas transplant biopsies. nPOD-T works with investigators who already have an established repository to recover these samples.
- Specimens from biopsies of the transplanted and native pancreases, obtained at the time of transplantation as well as on follow up. nPOD-T partners with specific transplant centers to consent patients into the study and for specialized surgeons to recover the biopsies.
- Organ/tissues (transplanted and native pancreases, peripancreatic lymph nodes, spleen, blood, etc.) from whole pancreas transplant recipients, post mortem. nPOD-T partners with transplant centers and their surgeons to obtain patient consent in order to recover their organs/tissues post mortem.
Following the nPOD operational model, collected specimens from transplanted patients will be made available to nPOD approved investigators. nPOD-T is under the direction of Dr. Alberto Pugliese, nPOD Co-Executive Director. For more information, contact Dr. Pugliese.