Organ Donation and Transplant Research Foundation of BC

08/19/2025

With support from the Addison Fund for Pediatric Transplant Research, Dr. Manish Sadarangani of BC Children's Hospital Research Institute is studying vaccination rates among young transplant recipients and exploring the potential barriers that may prevent children from getting vaccinated. This study ultimately aims to improve vaccination rates among pediatric transplant recipients.

Learn more:
https://www.odtrf.org/research/addison-pediatric-project/current-addison-pediatric-project-details/

07/30/2025

Lung transplantation is a life-saving treatment for patients with end-stage lung disease. But for patients with heightened immune sensitivity, marked by high levels of antibodies, there is a greater risk of rejection, making their path to transplant more complex.

At Vancouver General Hospital, a specialized approach known as peri-operative desensitization—which combines targeted medications and antibody removal, has been used to help reduce this risk.

With support from a VCHRI Team Grant, co-funded by ODTRF, Amanda Driver and her team are now evaluating the effectiveness of this strategy with the aim to improve access to transplantation and outcomes for patients.

https://www.vchri.ca/announcement/2025/07/22/team-grant-awards-2025-recipients

07/16/2025

Announcing the recipients of this year’s Venture Grants! ODTRF is proud to fund three groundbreaking research projects advancing organ donation and transplant medicine in BC:

* Drs. Myp Sekhon & Sonny Thiara are exploring neurologic biomarkers to improve death determination in donation after circulatory death.
* Dr. Vikas Sridhar is investigating patient and physician perspectives on cardio-kidney-metabolic therapies in kidney transplantation.
* Dr. Daljeet Chahal is studying liver physiology during donation after circulatory death and how the use of normothermic regional perfusion can improve transplant outcomes.

Together, these projects are driving innovation to improve experiences and outcomes for donors and transplant recipients! Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we showcase each of these studies.

https://cdtrp.ca/en/announcing-the-results-of-the-2025-cdtrp-research-innovation-grant-competition-11-new-projects-funded/

07/11/2025

We’re gearing up to announce our 2025 Venture Grant recipients — and we couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead for organ donation and transplant research in BC!

Past Venture Grant winners like Dr. Jagbir Gill and Dr. Mypinder Sekhon have already made incredible strides through their ODTRF funded studies:

- Dr. Gill’s research is exploring a first-of-its-kind policy that seeks to eliminate major disincentives to living kidney donation (https://www.odtrf.org/how-a-first-of-its-kind-policy-seeks-to-eliminate-major-disincentives-to-living-kidney-donation/)

- Dr. Sekhon is breaking new ground in donation science with cutting-edge work on brain biomarkers in individuals who experience death determination by circulatory criteria (https://www.odtrf.org/breaking-new-ground/)

06/30/2025

Did you know? Everyone has the power to save lives as an organ donor. June is Pride Month and an opportunity for us all to acknowledge and celebrate 2SLGBTQIA+ people in our lives.

Take pride in registering as an organ donor too! You can save up to eight lives.

Read up on more FAQs on our website: https://ow.ly/c38e50Wgmuo

Or register now at registeryourdecision.ca

06/24/2025

In a moving tribute to Dennis Wolfe, his wife Kelly and son Brennan brought together nearly 300 friends, family, and community members for a heartfelt barbecue to honour his memory and raise awareness about organ donation. The event raised $1,500 in support of organ donation and transplant research at ODTRF and inspired many guests to register as organ donors in Dennis’s name.

The spirit of giving extended even further—Specialty Bakery generously donated 19 dozen buns, a meaningful gesture from the owner whose wife is a double lung transplant recipient.

Our deepest thanks to everyone who helped make this event so impactful.

06/15/2025

This Father’s Day, we’re celebrating the gift of second chances.

After a double lung transplant, Nick Kanaan is not just surviving—he’s thriving as a dad of two. From first days of school to bedtime stories, every moment with his children is a reminder of how precious life is.

Nick also gives back as a patient partner, serving on ODTRF’s Scientific Advisory Committee and various other research activities, sharing his lived experience to help shape transplant research that puts patients first.

Read more about Nick’s inspiring journey https://www.odtrf.org/breathing-new-life/

06/03/2025

Don’t miss this insightful session with Dr. James Lan, a B.C. based researcher at the forefront of developing innovative therapies to improve care and outcomes for kidney transplant recipients.

Mark your calendars and share! Dr. James Lan will be onsite in Edmonton for our June 4th ATI Seminar Series to discuss the emerging opportunities in Cell-Free DNA!

Register: https://ualberta-ca.zoom.us/meeting/register/udHo51mlQU6uBgssEmDESw

Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry - University of Alberta
UAlberta Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
University of Calgary's Cu***ng School of Medicine
Alberta Health Services
Canadian Glycomics Network - GlycoNet
Canadian Society of Transplantation
Canadian Blood Services
CDTRP - Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program
Liver Canada
Big Gifts for Little Lives
American Society of Transplantation
American Society for Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics - ASHI
The Kidney Foundation of Canada La Fondation canadienne du rein
The Kidney Foundation of Canada - Northern Alberta & the Territories Branch
Kidney March
Organ and Tissue Donation PEI
BC Transplant
Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia
Transplant Manitoba-Gift of Life
Move for Life
University Health Network
Anne Halpin Esme Dijke
Alberta Lung
Canadian Transplant Association
Sean Delaney

05/29/2025

ODTRF is proud to have funded the work of Dr. Christopher Nguan and to count Dr. Peter Kim as a member of our Scientific Advisory Board—trailblazing surgeons advancing organ donation and transplant medicine.

Read the BCT article to hear their powerful reflections on what it means to be a vital part of the organ donation and transplant continuum.

05/21/2025

Join the CDTRP - Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program for their 2025 Patient, Family and Donor Research Forum on June 12! This year's Forum will feature interactive workshops on innovative national research projects. Register today!

More info: https://cdtrp.ca/en/patient-family-and-donor-research-forum-2025/

Free Registration: https://bit.ly/4lftoAe

05/16/2025

This Nursing Week we’re celebrating nurses who advance care through research—like Erin Waters, Clinical Nurse Specialist at St. Paul’s Hospital.

With support from an ODTRF grant, Erin is creating a patient-focused video to help people navigate the complex journey to kidney transplant.

Learn more in our interview with Erin by visiting: https://www.odtrf.org/easing-the-pre-transplant-process-through-research/

05/08/2025

Transplant community: join us!

A new study examines how COVID-19 and other pandemics continue to affect child and adult transplant recipients and their family members and caregivers. This study is working with 11 transplant centres in Canada, including the three main transplant centres in BC!

Enrol now by visiting. https://bit.ly/40OVTv0