Hunter Transplant Research

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Hunter Transplant Research Hunter Transplant Research Foundation | HTRF
Newcastle, NSW
Advancing transplant research
Making science accessible
Improving patient outcomes

What is a biomarker? A biomarker is a measurable sign of what is happening inside the body. In transplant research, biom...
17/09/2026

What is a biomarker?

A biomarker is a measurable sign of what is happening inside the body.

In transplant research, biomarkers may help researchers investigate biological changes within a transplanted kidney.

They provide some clues about:

Gene activity
What genes are being turned on or off?

Changes in cells
How are the cells inside a transplanted kidney functioning?

Damage to the organ
Are there any signs of damage, inflammation or recovery from a previous injury?

By studying these signals, researchers can begin to understand what is happening inside a transplanted kidney, including changes that may not yet be visible from the outside.

Understanding these changes can help researchers better understand transplant health and identify where treatments are needed to help transplants last longer.

How do researchers study what's happening inside a transplanted kidney? Sometimes, you have to zoom in. From the kidney ...
04/09/2026

How do researchers study what's happening inside a transplanted kidney?

Sometimes, you have to zoom in.

From the kidney tissue, all the way down to the molecules and atoms that build the machinery inside our cells. Researchers use a range of different techniques at different levels to understand what is happening to the transplanted kidney.

At the tissue level: techniques such as histology and light microscopy allow researchers to identify changes in the tissue.

Zoom in further, and techniques like immunofluorescence can help identify specific proteins within the tissue.

At the molecular level, techniques that study the gene expression levels can provide insight into the biological pathways involved.

And at the atomic scale, structural biology can help reveal how biological molecules are shaped and how they interact with each other. This can help us understand how immunosuppressive medications such as tacrolimus work.

Each technique helps researchers understand a different piece of the puzzle.

When the pieces are combined, we can begin to understand what is happening inside a transplanted kidney and why.

Have you ever wondered how our researchers look inside a transplanted organ to see what molecular story is unfolding wit...
02/09/2026

Have you ever wondered how our researchers look inside a transplanted organ to see what molecular story is unfolding within the transplant?

One option available is an instrument called NanoString, which allows researchers to measure the level of gene expression in a sample, commonly taken during a kidney biopsy.

So how does it work?

Researchers first extract RNA from the kidney tissue. RNA provides a snapshot of which genes are active in the sample.

NanoString then uses molecular probes to detect and count specific RNA molecules, allowing researchers to see which genes are more or less active.

By looking at these patterns of gene expression, researchers can identify biological pathways that may be involved in processes such as:

🧬 Immune response
🔥 Inflammation
🩸 Tissue injury
🛠️ Repair

This helps researchers understand what is happening inside a transplanted kidney at the molecular level and investigate the pathways that may contribute to transplant injury and long-term graft dysfunction.

This is how research helps us move from seeing that something is happening… to understanding why.

Research Spotlight!Every minute counts when it comes to kidney transplantation.During a kidney transplant, the donor kid...
19/08/2026

Research Spotlight!

Every minute counts when it comes to kidney transplantation.

During a kidney transplant, the donor kidney is temporarily without a blood supply while the blood vessels are connected to the recipient. This period, known as anastomotic time, contributes to warm ischemia and is one of the few factors during transplantation that can be directly controlled.

In this study, researchers reviewed 424 kidney transplants performed between 2006 and 2020, including 247 deceased donor transplants, to investigate whether anastomotic time was associated with delayed graft function (DGF).

They found that longer anastomotic time was significantly associated with an increased risk of DGF, with each additional minute associated with a 4% increase in the incidence of DGF.

The findings highlight the importance of minimising anastomotic time during transplantation and improving our understanding of the factors that can influence early graft function.

Ultimately, small changes during transplantation can make a difference to how a transplanted kidney starts its new life.

📖 Swipe through for a simplified overview, scan the QR code on the final slide, or use the publication link below to read the full study.

🔗 Publication:https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2022.1024137/full

Why does transplant research matter? Because organ transplantation is much more than a medical procedure, it's a second ...
19/08/2026

Why does transplant research matter?

Because organ transplantation is much more than a medical procedure, it's a second chance at life.

Research helps us understand why some transplants last for decades while others don't. It enables us to detect complications earlier and develop better treatments that protect transplanted organs.

The goal isn't just more time with a transplant. It's more time living well.

What a night ✨Our Glow for Life Gala was a beautiful celebration of the people who make transplant research possible. Ou...
12/08/2026

What a night ✨

Our Glow for Life Gala was a beautiful celebration of the people who make transplant research possible. Our researchers, clinicians, transplant recipients, families, supporters and community all came together to celebrate the progress being made and the work still ahead.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the evening so special. Special thank you to our major sponsor – Australia Wide Roofing for your generosity and support. Your contribution helps us continue advancing transplant research and working towards better outcomes for transplant recipients.

Swipe through for a few moments from the night, including some of the wonderful people who came together to support the cause.

Thanks to the generous support from everyone involved, we’re thrilled to have raised $20,000 on the night to help fund better outcomes for transplant recipients.

Thank you for helping make this possible! ✨💛

Research Spotlight!BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) is a common virus that usually remains harmless, but after kidney transplanta...
05/08/2026

Research Spotlight!

BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) is a common virus that usually remains harmless, but after kidney transplantation it can reactivate because of immunosuppression. In some transplant recipients, this can lead to BKPyV-associated nephropathy (BKPyVAN), causing damage to the transplanted kidney and, in severe cases, graft loss.

Despite its impact, there are currently no BKPyV-specific treatments, making it important to better understand what is happening inside the kidney during infection.

In this study, researchers combined data from four independent transcriptomic datasets to identify genes and immune pathways consistently associated with BKPyVAN.

They identified 226 shared differentially expressed genes and highlighted three immune pathways that may play important roles in disease development:

🧬 AIM2 inflammasome
🧬 HLA class II antigen presentation
🧬 IL-6 signalling

These findings improve our understanding of how BK virus damages transplanted kidneys and may help guide the development of future targeted therapies, with the ultimate goal of improving long-term transplant outcomes.

📖 Swipe through for a simplified overview, scan the QR code on the final slide, or use the publication link below to read the full study.

🔗 Publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41527905/

As DonateLife Week draws to a close, we’ve shared a series highlighting the remarkable biology of transplanted organs to...
02/08/2026

As DonateLife Week draws to a close, we’ve shared a series highlighting the remarkable biology of transplanted organs to complement the powerful human stories that remind us why transplantation matters.

We hope this series has sparked curiosity about transplantation and inspired conversations about organ donation.

Thank you to the researchers, clinicians, donor families, recipients and advocates working together to transform lives.

DonateLife

Did you know your kidneys contain more than 20 specialised cell types, each performing a unique job?From filtering your ...
22/07/2026

Did you know your kidneys contain more than 20 specialised cell types, each performing a unique job?

From filtering your blood and balancing fluids to repairing tissue and defending against infection, every cell plays an important role.

We’ve matched 12 of these incredible kidney cells to the 12 months of the year, giving each one a personality inspired by its biological function, along with a fascinating kidney fact!

Find your birth month and tell us in the comments...

Did we get your kidney personality right?

NEWCASTLE BUSINESSES SUPPORTING NEWCASTLE TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS The Hunter Transplant Research Foundation is seeking sup...
25/06/2026

NEWCASTLE BUSINESSES SUPPORTING NEWCASTLE TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS

The Hunter Transplant Research Foundation is seeking support from our local community for the Glow for Life Gala raffle, helping raise funds for transplant research and improving outcomes for transplant recipients and their families.

Local businesses can support the raffle through donations such as:

• Gift vouchers
• Experiences
• Products
• Services

There are many ways you can help:
• Donate a raffle prize
• Share this post with local businesses
• Scan the QR code to make a donation
• Follow our journey at

Every contribution, large or small, helps support research aimed at improving outcomes and quality of life for transplant recipients in our community.

If you own a business, know a business that may be interested, or would like to contribute a raffle prize, please send us a direct message or email [email protected].

Together, Newcastle businesses and the transplant community can make a meaningful difference.

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