Overcoming the Immunological Barrier in Organ Transplantation

from one person and implant it into a separate human being at the outset seemed overwhelmingly complicated DQGDOPRVWOLNHVFLHQFHÀFWLRQ³DPRUH humanistic Frankenstein, perhaps. Yet, decades of research later and countless obstacles overcome, organ trans-plantation stands as the gold standard therapeutic approach for patients with failing organs. While transplantation remains controversial in some cultures, as it is seen DVFRPPRGLÀFDWLRQRI KXPDQEHLQJV the ability to perform organ transplants LVDUHPDUNDEOHVFLHQWLÀFDFKLHYHPHQW that is due largely to the efforts of Dr. Joseph E. Murray. During his time at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital of the Harvard Medical School (now known as Brigham and Women's Hospital), 'U 0XUUD\ SHUIRUPHG WKH ÀUVW VXF-cessful transplant of a major organ, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physiology in Medicine in 1990. More VSHFLÀFDOO\LQKHSHUIRUPHGWKH ÀUVWUHQDOWUDQVSODQWEHWZHHQLGHQWLFDO twins without organ rejection resulting in recipient mortality. Beyond this successful demonstration, Dr. Murray sought further to link his medical ac-FRPSOLVKPHQW WR WKH EDVLF VFLHQWLÀF principles underlying it, investigating genetics, the immune system, and organ rejection. His discoveries, both in the operating room and at the bench, have forever opened up the possibility of a Overcoming the Immunological Barrier in Organ Transplantation O rgan transplantation becomes a pesonal rather than scien-WLÀFPDWWHUDWWKH'09·VRIÀFHZKHUH newly-licensed drivers are faced with the crucial choice of whether or not to be an organ donor. Organ donation carries two seemingly polarized LPDJHV³RQH RI D JULHYLQJ IDPLO\ choosing to give life to sick patients sitting at the top of the transplant list with no other treatment options and the other of the global organ black market by which scarce tissue resources are smuggled across borders. Perceptions DVLGH WUDQVSODQWDWLRQ³ZKLOH WRGD\ D VHW RI URXWLQH VXUJLFDO SURFHGXUHV³ UHPDLQV DQ LQFUHGLEOH VFLHQWLÀF IHDW The capacity to remove a live organ