nPOD-Transplant

What is nPOD-T?

The nPOD-Transplant (nPOD-T) initiative is a pilot and feasibility study aimed at scientifically researching human pancreatic tissue from organ donors who have had a pancreas transplant. By studying human tissue from these donors, nPOD-T will fill a void in scientific research where human specimens were not previously available.

Why is nPOD-T important?

Studying these human tissues should provide additional 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.

How does nPOD-T work?

nPOD-T aims to collect human tissue in three different settings:

1. Specimens from already archived pancreas transplant biopsies. nPOD-T works with investigators who already have an established repository to recover these samples.
2. Specimens from biopsies of the transplanted and native pancreas, 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.
3. Organ/tissues (transplanted and native pancreas, peripancreatic lymph nodes, spleen, blood, etc.) from whole pancreas and/or pancreatic islet cell 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 Steering Committee

George Burke, M.D., University of Miami
Martha Campbell-Thompson, D.V.M., Ph.D., University of Florida
Ronald Gill, Ph.D., University of Colorado
Alberto Pugliese (chair), M.D., University of Miami
Bart Roep, Ph.D, D.M., Leiden University
David Sutherland, M.D., Ph.D., University of Minnesota

Julia Greenstein, Ph.D., JDRF Staff
Judy Hunt, JDRF Lay Review Committee
Albert Hwa, Ph.D., JDRF Staff
Marie Nierras, Ph.D., JDRF Staff
Margery Perry, JDRF Lay Review Committee
Teodora Staeva, Ph.D., JDRF Staff