PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The overall goal of the consortium is to optimize and standardize islet transplantation. Specifically the consortium  will aim:

• to improve donor management, donor selection criteria, organ recovery techniques  and islet cell processing techniques.
  Expected results: identification of  more efficient islet cell processing to maximize islet recovery.
• to identify and standardize  methods for the evaluation of islet preparations intended for transplantation in humans  (ie cell composition, cell viability, insulin secretion).
  Expected results: identification and validation of predictor for islet engraftment and post-transplant function.
• to identify strategies and drugs able to  improve islet ‘engraftment’.
  Expected results: achieve successful islet transplantation from one donor to one recipient
• to develop multi centre clinical trial to test new immunosuppression and tolerogenic  strategies
  Expected results: achieve successful islet transplantation without immunosuppression  or with less toxic immunosuppressive regimens.
• provide islets for researchers.
  Expected results: support research activity related to beta cell biology in Europe.