Almost £2m in NHS funding is being funnelled to scientists at Newcastle University who are working on cutting-edge research which could radically reduce the risk of donor organs being rejected - particularly in BAME groups.
The funding forms part of a £20m boost from NHS Blood and Transplant and the National Institute for Health and Care Research in order to set up research units across the country which will take on the challenge of developing new medical technology that will improve patients' lives. The team at Newcastle are also working with experts from the University of Cambridge and will be focussing on organ donation and transplantation.
The hope is that they will be able to trial technology including using enzymes to remove what are called "blood group antigens" from donor organs. This would see organs from people with blood groups A or B treated to create type O organs. Type O organs are able to be donated to anyone.
