and its Sections Tribune • Cell Transplant Society • International Pancreas and Islet Transplant Association • International Society for Organ Donation & Procurement • International Xenotransplantation Association • Intestinal Transplant Association • Transplant Infectious Disease DECEMBER 2006 Volume III Issue III OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE TRANSPLANTATION SOCIETY Present and future Key Opinion Leaders meet in Barcelona and Buenos Aires n intimate gathering of 46 transplantation leaders met in Barcelona for the inaugural New Key AOpinion Leader meeting in September to discuss present and future transplantation challenges. “We have kept the format small and infor- by TTS with the assistance of Drs Josep mal in order to encourage in-depth discussion Lloveras and Josep Grinyo, from the Catalan of the issues presented,” explained Kathryn Transplantation Society, on program develop- Wood, outgoing-TTS President. “We invited ment and meeting logistics. established TTS member investigators from A second New Key Opinion Leader meet- each of the global regions to attend the meet- ing was held at the Sheraton ing with one of their research fellows or junior Buenos Aires, Argentina at the (above) Delegates faculty whom they think have the potential to end of October and was orga- met in Barcelona for the first New be one of the leaders in the field of transplan- nized with the assistance of Key Opinion Leader tation in the future. It was a great experience Drs Domingo Casadei and Felix meeting. (left) Felix to meet such successful young investigators,” Cantarovich. Topics covered Cantarovich, Kathryn she continued. included the impact of innate Wood and Domingo Discussions focused on whether or not reg- immunity and inflammation Casadei. (below) ulatory T-cells are critical for graft acceptance, on graft outcome, the impact Josep Lloveras, factors influencing long-term renal allograft of transplant infectious dis- Kathryn Wood and outcomes, non-heart beating donors, cardio- ease on long-term outcomes, Josep Grinyo. vascular diseases in organ transplantation, tumors and transplantation, medical and ethi- translational studies exploring novel strategies, cal aspects in transplantation, ABO incompat- and factors influencing long-term liver trans- ible donor recipient pairs, and using dendritic plantation outcomes. cells to stimulate and manipulate the immune Participants thought it was well organized, response to a transplant. interesting, a valuable learning experience, TTS would like to thank Wyeth and a true success. “It is a great format for Pharmaceuticals for supporting the meetings cross-disciplinary interactions and for intro- in Barcelona and Buenos Aires through an ducing young investigators,” said one partici- unrestricted educational grant. pant following the meeting. A third meeting will take place in January The meeting, held at Hostal de La Gavina, 2007 in Hong Kong. S’Agaro, Barcelona, Spain, was organized FOUR DECADES OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, INNOVATION, GROWTH AND PROGRESS New TTS International Over 6000 delegates Medawar Prize: TTS IN THIS Headquarters in at 1st World honours three Montreal Transplant outstanding ISSUE Congress members …2 …3 …71 Nicholas Tilney INTER vi E W W I TH THE PRES I DENT icholas Tilney has a clear vision of the first guidelines for practice for the Society. where the Society should be headed in In 1990 he was elected Vice-President, and then Nan age when transplantation ethics are named President-elect in 2004. challenged on a daily basis around the globe “It’s wonderful and very flattering to and is excited about making his vision reality. have been elected to this position. I am a bit “I want to thank Kathryn Wood and overwhelmed with the breadth of activities Jeremy Chapman for the tremendous initia- within the Society, but I am excited too. It is a tives they put in motion. I hope to be able demanding position that I am ready to take on to carry-on what they have started in terms as a challenge,” noted Tilney. of positioning TTS on the international stage With the increasing complexity of the through the Society’s important relationship Society and because of its many new initia- with the World Health Organization (WHO).” tives, TTS has opened a new International “All of us in the field are worried about Headquarters in Montreal. “The Society is the irregularities in transplantation in China, about much more than giving conferences India, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and now. It’s becoming an international force for the Philippines, to name a few. I believe it the whole field of transplantation. It is an is the Society’s responsibility to publicize operation that requires dedication by many the irregularities and unethical behaviors in people,” explained Tilney. Nicholas Tilney transplantation, not only on our own but in Originally from New Jersey, Tilney, the collaboration with the WHO, which has the Francis D. Moore Professor of Surgery at power to stimulate governments around the Harvard Medical School and a Senior Surgeon world into action,” said Tilney. at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Tribune is published three times per year by The Transplantation Other goals over the next two years include Boston, was educated at Cornell University Society (TTS). Views expressed in increasing membership among younger Medical College in New York. He received news and feature articles are those members of the global transplant commu- his surgical training at Peter Bent Brigham of the individual quoted. nity, enhancing activity of TTS’ Sections, and Hospital and was trained in transplanta- expanding the educational thrust of the Society tion biology at Oxford University and the TTS gratefully acknowledges the Corporate Partners whose gener- through communication and technology. University of Glasgow. Prior to his retirement, ous support makes the work of the Latin America, Singapore, and other areas Tilney headed the kidney transplant unit for Society possible: of Asia have a growing amount of transplant many years at Brigham and Women’s Hospital Astellas Pharma Inc. activity and have been traditionally isolated directed the Surgical Research Laboratory at F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. from the majority of TTS activities. As a Harvard Medical School. He edited the text Genzyme Corporation result, the Society hopes to be able to reach Transplantation Biology, and is the author of a Novartis Pharma AG practitioners in these regions through the Key history of the field, Transplant: from Myth to Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Opinion Leader meetings. Including council Reality. Editor in Chief members from diverse regions around the Henrik Ekberg world is another TTS initiative. Greetings from the President Contributors Tilney’s history with TTS dates back to 1973 Jeremy Chapman when he first became a member. He was elect- On behalf of The Transplantation Society, Annika Tibell Nicholas L. Tilney ed to the Council in 1984 and acted in a variety we hope you have a happy, of capacities over his 6-year tenure, including Laurence Turka d Kathryn Wood/Monica Dolton chairing the Ethics Committee that published safe, and festive Holiday Season. International Headquarters Filomena Picciano, Director of Society Operations Frank Lindo Verissimo, Membership Services Manager TTS on the move he Transplantation Society recently announced the Editorial, production, publication management appointment of Filomena Picciano to the position of Southlea Communications Inc. TDirector of Society Operations. in partnership with Robin Palin Fil has four years experience with TTS, has worked in con- Public Relations Inc. ference management and has many years of experience in the For more information: travel industry. We welcome her to this newly created role in The Transplantation Society the Society management. Frank Lindo Verissimo will join her International Headquarters as Membership Services Manager. 1255 University Street, Suite 325 Montreal, QC H3B 3B4 Please note the Society’s new address and come to see E-mail: info@transplantation-soc. the new International Headquarters if you are visiting the org Montreal area. Telephone: +1-514-874-1717 Filomena Picciano, Director of Fax: +1-514-874-1716 Society Operations www.transplantation-soc.org 2 Inaugural World IN Transplant BRIEF Congress a success ver six thousand delegates from The Transplantation Society (TTS), Expect e-posters at Othe American Society of Transplant the XXII TTS Congress Surgeons (ASTS), and the American Transplant Society (ATS) gathered in Boston, Francis Delmonico and Sir Peter Morris meet in Sydney Massachusetts in July to hear global leaders at the TTS booth. Morris wears an Australian You can expect a great program present cutting-edge research affecting the bush hat in honour of TTS’ 2008 Congress in at Sydney 2008, with cohesive, Sydney, Australia. field of transplantation. concurrent, and improved For TTS it was a 40th Anniversary celebra- poster sessions. tion and a welcoming ceremony for the new WHAT’S HoT (BASic SciENCE) Building on the success of Officers and Councillors. TTS installed a new Laurence Turka’s What’s Hot (Basic Science) the World Transplant Congress, President, Nicholas Tilney, and a new slate lecture, a World Transplant Congress (WTC) the Sydney Congress com- of Councillors representing each global region highlight, reviewed recent research in trans- (See page 8 for a full list). plantation and immunology. mittee is working on the idea TTS’ much anticipated prizes were dis- Evidence from several laboratories of electronic