COLLABORATION
Medical University of Gdansk and CellT in Poland
Our article has been just published in Clinical Diabetology
"Old school” islet purification technique based on unit gravity sedimentation for allows successful intraportal islet transplantation– a case report.
This is another result the fruitful collaboration of all 3 teams: Medical University of Gdansk, CellT Laboratory and University of Chicago. We presented clinical results of the first patient with T1DM and kidney graft who received islet transplantation after failure of his pancreas transplant.
Journal of European Journal of Transitional and Clinical Medicine
Dr. Witkowski has just joined the editorial board of European Journal of Transitional and Clinical Medicine, a scientific journal published by the Medical University of Gdansk.
He will help to oversee and promote research publications related to the organ and cellular transplantation.
Our article has been accepted for the publication in the journal of Cell Transplantation.
"Old school” islet purification technique based on unit gravity sedimentation for allows successful intraportal islet transplantation– a case report.
We are happy to share a good news.
As the result of the efforts and fruitful collaboration of all 3 teams: Medical University of Gdansk, CellT Laboratory and University of Chicago, we have described a novel approach based on the "old school" technique to rescue a final islet product and transplant it successfully to the patient contributing the progress in the field islet transplantation..
Training in pancreas procurement and islet Tx in Poland
Dr. Witkowski joined team of surgeons from Gdansk during multiorgan procurement providing training in pancreas recovery for islet transplantation. Operation took place in the City Hospital in Elblag.
We would like to thank the entire team of nurses from that hospital, who supported the procedure and made it possible.
Islets were transplanted 2 days later in the Medical University of Gdansk Hospital on the 2020 New Year Eve.
Thank you!
Watch youtube presentation below.
Team in the City Hospital in Elblag for facilitating multiorgan donation for transplantation.
procuring surgeons- Dr. Marian Lukianski and Dr. Michal Szymanski
Professor Alicja Debska Slizien, Dr. Maciej Komorniczak and Dr. Justyna Golebiewska provide medical care to the patient.
Team in the City Hospital in Elblag for facilitating multiorgan donation for transplantation.
Initiation of the collaboration for the development of the Pancreatic Islet Transplantation Program in Poland
In 2011, Dean of Medical University of Gdansk, Prof dr hab med Morys hosted meeting with representatives from the University Hospital, the University of Chicago and Laboratory for Cell and Tissue Transplantation CellT, which initiated collaborative efforts on development of the Pancreatic Islet Transplantation Program in Gdansk, Poland.
Program development
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Training in islet isolation technique at University of Chicago GMP Facility
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Training for clinicians in patient care before, during and after Islet Transplantation in Chicago (list of trainings)
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Construction and activation of the GMP facility at CellT Laboratory
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Development of research collaboration and training activity between Medical University of Gdansk and CellT
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Accreditation for the islet cell processing and banking
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Accreditation for the clinical islet cell transplantation procedure
FIRST Pancreatic Islet Transplant was performed
at Medical University of Gdansk Hospital in Gdansk, Poland
see link with news from the University website
Over the last 7 years, we have been guiding team of transplant physicians from Medical University of Gdansk in developing the Program of Pancreatic Islet Transplantation.
Over that time selected physicians from Gdansk were trained in Chicago and gained necessary skills and experience to build the program.
Dr Justyna Golebiewska, a transplant nephrologist from Gdansk came for training in Chicago supported by the Fellowship Award from the European Society for Transplantation. Professor Thierry Berney from the University of Geneva, Switzerland, President of ESOT and leader in the field of islet transplantation has been also supporting the development of the Islet Program in Gdansk for many years training first a surgeon- Dr. Justyna Kosto in Geneva and recently awarding Dr Golebiewska her scholarship in Chicago.
Our team from Chicago also advised designing a special GMP Laboratory for cell and tissue preparation for clinical therapy organized by CellT in collaboration with the university and trained the personnel in islet isolations.
Development of the islet transplant program was supported by the funding from the Polish Government Program STRATEGMED, secured and led by Professor Piotr Trzonkowski, Chief of Transplant Immunology at Medical University of Gdansk. See More.
Dr. Karolina Golab, our Lab Manager went to Gdansk to lead and support local team during the isolation for the first clinical transplant, while Dr Witkowski supported patient medical managment and islet transplant procedure.
Transplant was uneventful and patient has been recovering well with progressing islet engraftment.
Program in Gdansk is currently the only clinically active Islet Transplantation Center in Poland.
CONGRATULATION TEAM GDANSK !
Pancreas arrives to the GMP facility in CellT for islet isolation
Dr Karolina Golab- Lab Manager and islet exert from Chicago came several times to train team in Gdansk and lead islet isolation during the first transplant
Interventional Radiologists, Dr Tomasz Gorycki and Dr Bartosz Regent
Pancreas arrives to the GMP facility in CellT for islet isolation
It has been over 5 months since first patient received islet transplant in Gdansk, Poland.
Blood glucose control has improved substantially as soon as a couple of weeks after the procedure. His A1c decreased already from 8.0 to 6.6
However, the most important advantage was that he stopped experiencing severe hypoglycemic episodes. He and his family and stopped fearing of sudden death from hypoglycemia, Blood glucose has never climbed over 220mg/ml anymore.
See CGM reading below.
CGM recording BEFORE islet transplant.
CGM recording 2 months AFTER islet transplant.
SECOND Pancreatic Islet Transplant was performed
at Medical University of Gdansk Hospital in Gdansk, Poland
Pancreatic islet transplant was carried out for a second time in Gdansk. A second patient who was suffering from a very brittle form of type 1 diabetes received his islet transplant. Patient experienced frequent life-threatening severe hypoglycemic episodes due to hypoglycemic unawareness. Basically, his blood glucose used to swing from 400mg/ml to 20mg/ml without any warning symptoms, patient was passing out or developed seizure, could died anytime without help from other people.
The goal of islet transplant is to prevent severe hypoglycemic episodes, improved blood glucose control and patient quality of life alleviating anxiety and worry about sudden death.
This time again, Dr. Karolina Golab, our Lab Manager went to Gdansk to lead and support local team at CellT Laboratory during the islet processing and transplantation. We also here is Chicago, were supporting our colleagues in Gdansk over the "face time"..
Patient has been already discharged from the hospital without complications. .Transpanted Islets need around 2 months for full engraftment and recovery before are fully functional.
CONGRATULATION TEAM GDANSK !
Dr Karolina Golab purifying islets
Interventional Radiologists, Dr Tomasz Gorycki and Dr Bartosz Regent
Dr Karolina Golab purifying islets
4rd and 5th Pancreatic Islet Transplant were performed
at Medical University of Gdansk Hospital in Gdansk, Poland over the summer.
Third patient with stable kidney graft function but poor glucose control and severe hypoglycemic episodes received islet transplant in Gdansk in May of this year.
This was the first procedure fully performed by Team gdansk without our direct involvement.
Fourth islet transplant was performed in the very first patient, who already decrease insulin requirements in half after his first procedure in October of last year. The goal this time is further improve glucose control and hopefully wean off insulin completely.
Another advancement, it was a first case where team of surgeons from Gdansk travelled to a distant city to procure donor pancreas developing nationwide collaboration.
CONGRATULATION TEAM GDANSK !
The beauty of the islets (in red)
Dr. Gorycki- IR "magician"
Prof Alicja Debska- Slizien- Tx nephrologist, Dr. Maciej Sledzinski- Tx surgeon
The beauty of the islets (in red)
COLLABORATION
Medical University of Poznan and CellT in Poland
Training in islet and pancreas transplantation in Chicago
Team of surgeons from Poznan visited us for a training in islet and pancreas transplantation in December of 2019r. Professor Marek Karczewski, Dr. Magdalena Gorna and Dr. Wojciech Cierach learnt pancreas donor selection, technique for deceased donor pancreas recovery, patient selection, preparation and managment during and after transplantation.
The team participated in all steps of the procedures. They are determined to establish a new islet and pancreas transplant program in their center in collaboration with Islet Isolation Laboratory CellT in Gdansk.
We wish them the best!