Immerse yourself in the latest research and breakthroughs in the field of transplantation at WTC 2025, hosted in the dynamic city of San Francisco. This global congress draws experts, healthcare practitioners, and researchers and provides them with an opportunity to explore in-depth the sector’s newest developments.

The WTC Student Ambassador Program aims to promote transplantation as an exciting and rewarding field of specialization for 3rd and 4th-year medical students. By engaging future medical professionals, this program will foster awareness and enthusiasm for organ donation and transplantation while enhancing participation at the WTC 2025 Congress. The deadline to apply is April 30, 2025.
 

After receiving input from the AST’s Communities of Practice, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access to Life (IDEAL) Committee, OPTN Policy Committee, and Board of Directors, the AST submitted feedback on the nine items the OPTN released for public comment on January 21, 2025. You can find the AST’s comments here.

Join your colleagues and the entire transplant community for the 2025 AST Virtual Run and Fitness Challenge, taking place April 1 – June 15!

Together, we’re aiming to complete 48,149 miles—one for every organ transplant performed in the U.S. last year. Whether you walk, run, bike, swim, or choose any other form of exercise, every mile counts toward our shared goal.

Together, it is our goal to complete a mile for every organ transplanted last year. Can we count on you to help us reach this goal? All funds raised will support a transplant research grant.

Dr. David Sutherland, considered the “father” of pancreas and islet transplantation, died peacefully in the early morning hours of March 25, 2025. As one of the most preeminent pioneers in the field of transplantation, he epitomized the best of humanity, humility, empathy, integrity, and competence in all of medicine.

The AST continues to strategically engage the new Congress, White House, and stakeholder community regarding the Society’s priorities. As we enter the second quarter of 2025, we have all witnessed significant policy and personnel changes within the new White House Administration and 119th U.S. Congress. These advocacy efforts continue to focus on OPTN Modernization for the future of our patients and the field of transplantation.  

Funding cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) put critical transplant research at risk. NIH-funded studies have driven advancements in transplantation, improving patient outcomes and paving the way for innovations like new immunosuppressants, immune tolerance strategies, and even organ regeneration. Without this support, progress in the field could slow, affecting countless patients and families.

We need your help to ensure that transplant research remains a priority. Use our advocacy page to contact your members of Congress and urge them to protect NIH funding. Together, we can make a difference. Take action today!

April is Donate Life Month, and we’re inviting YOU to join the AST transplant community in a meaningful way! We’d love to hear your story and see the memento that makes your transplant journey special. Whether it’s a photo or a short video, sharing what matters to you will help build a stronger connection within our community.

The Trainee and Young Faculty Community of Practice (TYF COP) and the Women’s Health Community of Practice (WHCOP), with the support of the AST, are excited to offer the WTC 2025 Travel Grant—an opportunity to support the next generation of transplant professionals. This grant provides up to $1,000 in reimbursable expenses for medical students and residents to attend the World Transplant Congress (WTC) 2025 in San Francisco (August 2–6, 2025). 

We are also looking for application reviewers and mentors to help guide and support future leaders in transplantation. If you know colleagues who would be a great fit, please share this opportunity with them! 

The AST developed a survey aimed at soliciting your perspectives on legislative and regulatory issues that significantly influence both patient care and professional practice. Our goal is to establish a platform for our membership to share their invaluable ideas and perspectives and actively engage with the Public Policy Committee and AST leadership. We look forward to your input as we navigate the dynamics of our ever-evolving landscape of transplant care and practice.

Source: Clinical Transplantation
Chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) after lung transplantation is a common complication with a poor prognosis. We assessed the utility of quantitative computed tomography (CT) for the diagnosis, prediction, and discrimination of CLAD phenotypes.

Source: Clinical Transplantation
One strategy to minimize the risk of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is to avoid an Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV) mismatch through kidney paired donation. We aimed to estimate the incidence of PTLD in EBV-negative kidney transplant recipients with EBV-positive donors (D+/R−) and evaluate the excess risk of death following the occurrence of PTLD.

Source: Clinical Transplantation
The utilization of hearts from ED in the new system increased 2.7 times. Before matching, characteristics that differed included new group recipients with higher usage of temporary mechanical circulatory support devices and donors with more anoxia as the cause of death (new, 47% vs. old, 37%; p < 0.001). In the matched cohort, the incidences of dialysis (14% vs. 11%, p = 0.18), stroke (3.9% vs. 2.7%, p = 0.44), or pacemaker implantation (3.0% vs. 2.5%, p = 0.83) were similar. Both groups showed similar 1-year recipient survival (90.9% vs. 90.4%, p = 0.79) and graft survival (90.7% vs. 90.2%, p = 0.8).

Source: Journal of Surgical Research
The study of social determinants of health in kidney transplantation has historically focused on equitable access, with limited evidence on the short- and long-term outcomes beyond graft loss and mortality. Our purpose is to identify and assess factors to ensure equitable outcomes after kidney transplant by identifying targets for health-care interventions in the posttransplant phase of care.