Hadassah Transplant Unit Receives ISF Grant to Study Liver Aging and Telomeres

The transplantation unit at Hadassah Medical Center, one of the largest and leading facilities in Israel for kidney and liver transplants, has recently received a prestigious research grant from the Israel Science Foundation (ISF). Led by Dr. Abed Khalaileh, head of the transplantation unit, and Dr. Ashraf Imam, a senior surgeon and head of the liver transplant service at Hadassah, in collaboration with Prof. Dudu Azoulay from the Hebrew University's Institute of Life Sciences, the research will focus on the role of telomeres in liver aging and transplant outcomes.

Advancing Transplant Medicine

"This research was born out of the questions we encounter every day in the operating rooms, clinics, and transplantation wards," explained Dr. Khalaileh. "Its goal is to deepen the understanding of liver aging mechanisms and develop new knowledge that will eventually improve patient care, expand the use of organs from older donors, and advance transplantation medicine worldwide." The study will span four years, combining clinical excellence at Hadassah with advanced laboratory work at the Hebrew University's Givat Ram campus.

"Thanks to this research, I believe we will be able to shed light and develop organ transplant medicine both in Israel and globally, as we will have more tools to evaluate the condition of livers from older donors," Dr. Khalaileh added.