By Saara Akhtar As the interest in 3D bioprinting is sky-rocketing, it seems as though the limelight has illuminated a bigger problem for the technology that may be solved by the use of “ghost organs.” 3D bioprinting uses living cells to create models of organs and tissues. These lab-grown organs could be potentially created from [...]
By Chiru Murage Face transplants provide a new life for victims of horrific accidents, maulings, and violent crime. Because scars from such accidents can’t be hidden, face transplants give patients the ability to regain normality in their lives after a traumatic event. Since April 2014, there have been 28 face transplants around the world. Dr. [...]
By Rebecca Moore Founded by Lisa Stehno-Bittel and Karthik Ramachandran, the Pet Organ Donation Network is an organization dedicated to preserving “research animals’ lives” and sharing “tissues and organs for transplant into dogs and cats in need.” The Newtork works with State Line Animal Hospital and Wayside Waifs to provide organs for Likarda, a bioscience [...]
By Kaitlyn Schaeffer There’s a new project coming out of technological powerhouse Google. Dubbed Baseline, this innovative venture’s mission is to map out the paragon of human health. The company will start by collecting genetic information from 175 volunteers for analysis; these initial findings will be bolstered by genetic information from several thousand others. The [...]
By Chiru Murage A new bipartisan bill titled the Living Donor Protection Act was proposed last Wednesday to Congress that would further protect the rights of living organ donors. The bill would protect living organ donors from higher premiums and limited coverage from insurance companies. Reps Michael Burgess, Republican representative from Texas, and Jerrold Nadler, [...]
By Jake Stern The health insurance company Excellus BlueCross BlueShield issued a report this week that shows New Yorkers register themselves as organ donors at less than half the rate of other Americans (22% statewide vs 48% nationwide). This is despite the fact that demand for organs in New York is one of the highest [...]
By Rebecca Moore Researchers at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre have found a regulatory gene believed to be crucial in understanding the regenerative mechanisms of tissues. Known as Sox4 gene, researchers believe that this gene may provide a link between stem cells, aging, and cancer: three elements thought to be interconnected. Sox4 gene is [...]
By Chiru Murage INTERPOL is currently investigating a number of Kenyan organizations that have been tied to human trafficking for the purpose of the use of victims as a living supply of organs. Kenya has the highest rate of human trafficking in East and Central Africa, where alleged corruption - possibly including the police, intelligence [...]
By Jake Stern New York has one of the lowest organ donor rates (as a percentage of the population) in the country, which has raised serious concerns about current enrollment practices. According to a 2012 study by the non-profit Donor Life America, New York ranks in the bottom three states for donor registration with 18% of [...]
By Kaitlyn Schaeffer Generally, transplantation is the last line of defense for treating a failing organ. This is not so with kidneys. “A kidney transplant is not a last resort; it’s a first resort,” said nephrologist and kidney transplantation expert Emilio Poggio, MD. “For people who meet the requirements for kidney transplantation, it’s the best [...]
