The research being conducted in the Division of Abdominal Transplantation is at the forefront of innovative solutions to challenges facing patients and providers. From basic to translational science, our faculty and researchers are developing advancements in kidney transplantation and islet cell transplantation while also working to shrink disparities patient care and physician training.
Institute for Cellular Transplantation
The Institute for Cellular Transplantation at the University of Arizona focuses on translational research and development in the area of human islet cell manufacturing and transplantation, addressing the process from organ procurement to delivery of islets, with the goal of optimizing the viable islet yield (highest number of islets at the highest possible quality) per pancreas.
Closing in on a New Solution to Manage Type 1 Diabetes
Currently, the only way for a person with Type 1 diabetes to get this life-saving insulin is by regularly measuring their blood sugar levels with a self-administered blood test and then giving themselves necessary injections, or by using an insulin pump, an external device that delivers insulin as needed through a tube placed under the skin.
A University of Arizona Health Sciences research team led by Klearchos Papas, PhD, a professor in the Department of Surgery at the UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson, is closing in on a better solution. Dr. Papas is developing a tiny implantable device that mimics the normal function of the pancreas, the organ responsible for insulin production.