MRC Centre for Transplantation

器官移植已经挽救了成千上万人的生命，但是移植仍然不能持续很长时间。此外，为了防止排斥反应，高剂量的有毒药物被用来抑制免疫反应。这些不仅会损害移植器官，还会对受者产生致命的副作用。该中心自2007年10月成立以来，在改善需要移植的人的健康方面取得了重大进展。我们已经想出了让他们移植的器官存活更长时间的方法。这包括工程蛋白的发展，当植入供体肾脏时，可以减少移植后的炎症和血凝块形成。此外，我们还开创了危害更小、更自然的方法来诱导免疫系统接受移植，使用的是取自患者的细胞。值得注意的是，通过监测免疫系统，我们即将能够判断哪些患者可以在不排斥移植的情况下停止接受常规治疗。同时，我们正在开发先进的扫描技术，使医生能够诊断移植器官是否发炎，并提供适当的治疗。随着下一个五年的发展，我们将进行临床试验，以确定这些创新是否能如基础研究所承诺的那样，为医疗保健带来好处。潜在的好处包括延长移植的生命，并为更多有需要的人提供移植。我们也在支持使成功更有可能的新科学分支。通过将科学家、临床医生和技术人员聚集在同一屋檐下，这种复杂性的进步成为可能。MRC移植中心在英国建立了这种能力。它与国王学院医学法律和伦理中心合作，确保在移植研究的监管和伦理方面进行高标准的沟通和公众参与。一项特别活动和媒体报道计划将有助于在创新过程中使公众和患者了解情况。卫生经济学家也将成为该中心的一部分，以提供机会对我们的研究的成本和潜在收益作出更准确的预测。未来的成功将取决于招募和培训最聪明的人才，在未来5-10年的发展中完成这项工作，并确保研究转化为社会和经济效益。

Organ transplantation has saved the lives of many thousands of people, but transplants still don't last as long as they should. In addition, to prevent rejection, high doses of toxic drugs are used to dampen the immune response. These can not only harm the transplant, but can have lethal side effects on the recipient. Since it started in October 2007, the Centre has made significant progress towards improving the health of people who need transplants. We have devised ways to make their transplanted organ survive longer. This includes the development of engineered proteins which, when planted in donor kidneys, reduce inflammation and blood clot formation after transplantation. In addition, we have pioneered less harmful, more natural methods to coax the immune system into accepting the transplant, using cells taken from the patient. Remarkably, as a result of monitoring the immune system, we are close to being able to judge which patients can stop taking conventional therapy without rejecting the graft. At the same time, we are developing advanced scanning techniques that will enable physicians to diagnose whether a transplant is inflamed and to offer appropriate treatment. As we approach the next five years of development, we shall conduct clinical trials to establish whether these innovations can benefit healthcare as the basic research has promised. Potential benefits include extending the life of the transplant and offering transplantation to more of those in need. We are also supporting new branches of science that make success more likely. Advances of this complexity are made possible by bringing together a large workforce of scientists, clinicians and technologists under the same roof. The MRC Centre for Transplantation has created this capability within the UK. It collaborates with the Centre for Medical Law and Ethics at King's College to ensure a high standard of communication and public engagement regarding the regulation and ethics of transplant research. A programme of special events and media coverage will help keep the public and patients informed during innovation. Health economists are also to be part of the Centre to provide the opportunity to make more accurate forecasts about the costs and potential benefits of our research. Future success will depend on recruiting and training the brightest minds to deliver this work through the next 5-10 years of development and ensure the research is translated into social and economic benefit.