Oxford Consortium for Islet Transplantation (OXCIT)

+44 1865 221291
paul.johnson@nds.ox.ac.uk

Our multidisciplinary team of scientists and clinicians research ways to optimise human pancreatic islet transplantation with the goal of achieving insulin independence in patients with diabetes

The transplantation consortium comprises of three components - a world class human islet isolation facility; an innovative research programme; and a leading clinical transplant programme. This unique approach allows our transplant group to underpin clinical service with outstanding scientific expertise.

We are proud to be associated with such a highly regarded team and centre of excellence which provides much hope and benefit to people with diabetes
- Sarah Bone, Executive Director of the Diabetes Research & Wellness Foundation

Our translational research programme and team of internationally renowned scientists are conducting pioneering research which aims to make fundamental advances in the field of islet transplantation. To date our scientific breakthroughs have contributed to the development of novel techniques and approaches now used routinely worldwide.

We anticipate our combination of innovative research and clinical excellence will bring us another step closer to our ultimate goals of achieving insulin independence in diabetic patients and reversing diabetes in children soon after diagnosis.

Director

Paul Johnson

Director of Oxford Islet Isolation and Islet Transplant Programmes and Professor of Paediatric Surgery

Our Team

Daniel Brandhorst

Senior Researcher
Heide Brandhorst

Senior Postdoctoral Scientist
Rebecca Spiers

Islet Facility Manager

Sarah Cross wins 2nd and 3rd prize in JDRF competition

Photograph entitled: “From bench to bedside” Islet transplantation is a classic example of recent research in the field of Type 1 Diabetes that has enabled a novel treatment to be translated from “bench to bedside”. This series of photographs illustrates the process of human islets being extracted from a donor pancreas, infused into the recipient’s liver, and the transformation of a patient’s life from uncontrolled life-threatening hypoglycemic unawareness to glycemic stability, and in this patient prolonged insulin independence. The microscopy image demonstrates the complex structure of the islet:exocrine interface and the ongoing challenges of optimising human islet isolation. This latter aspect forms a central component of our JDRF funded research.