By Chiru Murage
A group of Australian politicians from different parties have united under the name Parliamentarians Against Forced Organ Harvesting (PAFOH) to raise awareness across the world about this emerging issue. The newly formed group met for the first time on July 16 this summer on lifting the rate of organ donation in Australia to combat the huge supply and demand imbalance in organ transplants.
The group also focused on addressing …

By Marc Beuttler
A new study in mice suggests that the hormone oxytocin, often associated with the “warm fuzzy” feelings in psychology, counteracts age-related decline of old muscles. By injecting oxytocin under the skin of aged mice, scientists were able to restore the regenerative potential of muscle and help old rodents heal at up to 80% the rate of young mice.
Muscle regeneration declines with age and leads to a gradual loss of …

By Marc Beuttler
In 1859 Charles Darwin set down his theory of evolution, an idea that revolutionized and continues to challenge science and philosophy. Along the way we adopted and refined Mendel’s genetic studies on pea plants to explain the inheritance of genes in Darwin’s model of natural selection, and a little over 60 years ago, Watson and Crick discovered the structure of DNA. With that knowledge, we first sequenced every A, …

By Abrigul Lutfalieva
A new study published in the American Journal of Transplantation suggests that actions by insurers may create unnecessary burden and stress for those choosing to donate and could negatively impact the likelihood of living  kidney donation. The impact of living kidney donation on the ability to change or initiate health or life insurance is not clear.
Dorry Segev, MD, PhD, of the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, …

In 1989, the number of people on the waiting list for an organ was 16,000; this number has skyrocketed to more than 120,000. This increase is due in part to advancements in medical technology – doctors are better equipped now more than ever to detect cancer and other disorders. Other factors, such as increased longevity, higher rates of obesity, and a growing population have all contributed to this jump.
However, growing …

By Chiru Murage
Transplant Genomics Inc.has acquired the rights to what could lead to clinical tests that would drastically improve the care of organ transplant recipients, extending their lives and reducing costs of healthcare. These tests would « use genomic markers of transplant graft status as part of a surveillance program to detect and respond to early signs of graft injury. » The tests will be used to monitor kidney transplant recipients, improving …

By Noushaba T.Rashid

There are official rules that govern face and hand transplants. However, just because you may sign up to be an organ donor on your driver’s license does not automatically sign you up to be a face and hand donor.
The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, which is a nonprofit group under contract with the Federal Government to allocate organs has been facilitating these special kinds of transplants for many …

By Chiru Murage
Researchers at the University of Illinois have published in the online Proceedings of the National Academy of Science about a find that could lead to a new generation of biological robots. These tiny robots are the first of their kind to be made up of biological and mechanical parts. They are the first walking robots to be powered by live muscle, controlled by electric current. Adjusting the frequency …

Following a month-long investigation into a case involving the trafficking of five individuals for the purpose of donating kidneys in Thailand, police have two in custody.
Yem Asisal and her stepfather, Nhem Phally, were apprehended on Tuesday at their home in Phnom Penh after five of their victims filed complaints, according to the chief of Phnom Penh Municipal Anti- Human Trafficking Police. “This is the first case of organ trafficking that …

The results from an eight-year study conducted by researchers from the NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute shed light on a potential cure for sickle cell anemia in adults. The study was conducted at the National Institutes of Health’s Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD, where thirty patients aged 16 to 65 received modified blood stem cell transplants using a combination …