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David Hall, M.D.
Research Awards Nationwide Recipient (2017-2018)
University of Florida
Increasing the Number of Suitable Donor Lungs for Transplantation
Senior Research Training Fellowship
Currently, only 22 percent of lungs from multi-organ donors are used for transplantation; the majority of potential donor lungs are rejected due to poor function. A novel technique called ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) has been shown to improve marginal donor lungs to the level of standard-criteria lungs. Using deceased donor pig lungs, we will study a medication that blocks endothelin-1 (ET-1), which constricts blood vessels in the lungs. Previous studies have found ET-1 blockers reduce donor lung injury. If found safe and effective in these preclinical models, the ultimate goal will be a clinical trial that blocks ET-1 to improve and rehabilitate human lungs prior to transplantation, allowing potential expansion of the donor pool.
