Clinical Innovation Fund

Clinical Innovation Fund

Funder: Mid-America Transplant Foundation

Overview: The Clinical Innovation Fund supports lifesaving clinical research to improve organ transplantation outcomes, increase organ availability, and improve quality of organs for transplant. The Foundation has allocated $6.9 million to 25 clinical research studies since 2016.

Mission Alignment

Funds innovative research that:
• Increases availability of organs for transplantation
• Improves quality and function of recovered organs
• Develops better organ allocation processes and matching algorithms
• Explores novel therapeutic and technological approaches
• Maximizes donor potential

Geographic Scope

• Serves Mid-America Transplant's service area: 84 counties covering eastern Missouri, southern Illinois, and northeast Arkansas (4.7 million population)
• Partnerships with academic institutions nationwide

Recent Research Focus Areas (2024)

• Ischemia-reperfusion injury mitigation in marginal donor livers using normothermic perfusion pumps
• Immunology and xenotransplantation using genetically modified pigs
• Artificial intelligence tools for kidney allocation (MOMA-KI-AI)
• Non-contrast ultrasound imaging for kidney quality assessment
• Primary Graft Dysfunction prediction in lung transplants using machine learning
• Thyroid hormone treatment in organ donor management
• Pancreatic islet xenotransplantation for diabetes

Contact Information

Mid-America Transplant Foundation
• Phone: 314-735-8200
• Toll-Free: 888-376-4854
• Email: info@midamericatransplant.org
• Website: midamericatransplant.org

Background

As one of the few organ procurement organizations (OPOs) that provide grants to fund clinical research, Mid-America Transplant believes investing in medical innovation is core to increasing lives saved through transplantation. The Foundation partners with the medical community, including prestigious institutions like Washington University, St. Louis University, and Emory University, to explore new ways to maximize organ donations and improve recipient outcomes.