Our liver transplant program is one of the world's oldest

The Transplant Center—Liver Transplant

Jamie Fisk’s search for a liver donation led to President Ronald Reagan appointing William Payne, M.D., now surgical director of the liver transplant program, to a national task force that resulted in passage of the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984. This act established the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), which makes policy for organ allocation. In turn, the OPTN created a network, United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), to implement the distribution policy.

UNOS maintains organ transplant waiting lists in the U.S. William Payne, M.D. has served as a past president of UNOS. University of Minnesota Physician’s Jack Lake, M.D., medical director of the division of gastroentrology and medical director of the liver transplant program recently completed his tenure as president of the American Society of Transplantation. Harvey Sharp, M.D., director of the pediatric transplant program, is a world-renowned leader in the treatment of alpha one antitrypsin disease in children.

Clinical research trials at the University of Minnesota have been funded by the National Institute of Health for more than 30 years. Transplant teams continue to put into practice new and innovative therapies in organ transplant immunosuppression management, such as ongoing trials with a leading-edge steroid-free course of treatment. Each time a new therapy is introduced, patients are encouraged to participate, even if transplanted years earlier.

Physicians from around the world look to our transplant team at University of Minnesota Medical Center for the latest in research and development. They also rely on our commitment to ongoing communication about the care of the post-transplant patient. As an example, The Manual of Liver Transplant Medical Care is one in a series of handbooks on organ transplant. Written for referring physicians and other health care providers who provide pre- and post-transplant care, it represents our commitment to maintaining an ongoing partnership with referring physicians.