1 April 2020

PROJECT TITLE

Normothermic Perfusion of the Kidney Phase 1 (NPK1)

SUPERVISORS

Professor Peter Friend and Mr Simon Knight 

I began my medical education at Balliol College, Oxford (2010-13) where I obtained an undergraduate degree in Medical Sciences, before moving to University College London to complete my studies (MBBS with distinction, 2013-2016). Since then I have completed Foundation and Core Surgical training in Oxford, alongside a variety of research projects at the Oxford Transplant Centre. 

I am currently starting a DPhil in Surgical Sciences, under the supervision of Professor Peter Friend. My research will bring extended-duration Normothermic Machine Perfusion of the kidney to a clinical trial, primarily to establish its safety and feasibility. A parallel workstream will investigate the mechanism of normothermic perfusion, and seek to optimise the process. Much progress has been made in the UK to increase the number of organ donors, however demand for transplantation still outstrips the supply of organs. Normothermic Machine Perfusion has the potential to decrease preservation-associated injury, permit functional assessment prior to transplantation, and provide a platform for treatment. This may contribute significantly to increasing the supply of organs suitable for transplantation.