Vision & Aims

The International Pancreas and Islet Transplantation Association aims to serve the pancreas and islet transplant scientific community in providing a forum for the open exchange of knowledge and expertise in order to facilitate the advancement of the clinical practice of pancreas and islet transplantation for the treatment of human diabetes.

To promote and encourage research and training relevant to transplantation of insulin producing tissue in the treatment and cure of diabetes mellitus.

To provide a scientific forum for the exchange and discussion of clinical and experimental results and experiences relevant to transplantation of insulin producing tissue in the treatment and cure of diabetes mellitus.

To promote and encourage contacts between clinical and experimental researchers from different institutions and from all pertinent disciplines.

Read more: IPITA Awards and Grants

Officers and Council

Officers

Massachusetts General Hospital,Harvard Medical School, United States

University of Minnesota,United States

Geneva University Hospital,Switzerland

University of Melbourne,Australia

San Raffaele Scientific Institute,Italy

Councilors

Georgetown Transplant Institute,United States

Asan Medical Center,South Korea

Wake Forest School of Medicine,United States

Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania,United States

Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet,Norway

Ex-Officio

TBD TBD

Prof. Xavier Martin, France, 2019 Congress Chair (2017-2019)

Dr. Sarah Cross, United Kingdom, Young Investigator Committee representative (2017-2019)

Past Presidents

Thierry Berney, Switzerland

Jon Odorico, USA

Bernhard Hering, USA

Paul Johnson, UK

Stephen Bartlett, USA

Reinhard Bretzel, Germany

James Shapiro, Canada

Past Councils

President Thierry Berney, Switzerland President-Elect James Markmann, USA Immediate Past President Jon S. Odorico, USA Secretary Tom Kay, Australia (2017-2021) Treasurer Raja Kandaswamy, USA (2015-2019) Councillors Matthew Cooper, USA (2017-2021) Duck Jong Han, South Korea (2017-2021) Lorenzo Piemonti, Italy (2015-2019) Michael Rickels, USA (2015-2019) Hanne Scholz, Norway (2017-2021) Ex-Officio Xavier Martin, France, 2019 Congress Chair (2017-2019) Sarah Cross, Young Investigator Committee representative (2017-2019)

President Jon Odorico Madison, WI, USA University of Wisconsin Hospital President-Elect Thierry Berney Geneva, Switzerland Geneva University Hospitals Immediate Past President Bernhard Hering Minneapolis, MN, USA University of Minnesota Secretary James Markmann Boston, MA, USA Massachusetts General Hospital Treasurer Raja Kandaswamy Minneapolis, MN, USA University of Minnesota Councillors Tom Kay, Australia (2013-2017) Takashi Kenmochi, Japan (2015-2017) Barbara Ludwig, Germany (2013-2017) Lorenzo Piemonti, Italy (2015-2019) Michael Rickels, USA (2015-2019) Ex-Officio Paul Johnson, United Kingdom, 2017 Congress Chair (2015-2017)

President Bernhard Hering Minneapolis, MN, USA University of Minnesota President-Elect Jon Odorico Madison, WI, USA University of Wisconsin Hospital Immediate Past President Paul Johnson Oxford, UK University of Oxford Secretary James Markmann Boston, MA, USA Massachusetts General Hospital Treasurer Thierry Berney Geneva, Switzerland Geneva University Hospitals Councillors Mitsukazu Gotoh, Fukushima, Japan Raja Kandaswamy, Minneapolis, MN, USA Thomas Kay, Fitzroy, Australia Barbara Ludwig, Dresden, Germany Peter Stock, San Francisco, CA, USA

President's Message

James F. Markmann

Chief, Division of Transplantation;
Surgical Director, Liver, Pancreas and Islet Transplant Programs;
Clinical Director, MGH Transplant Center;
Massachusetts General Hospital, United States

Update from the IPITA President

On July 2-5, the Catholic University in Lyon, France hosted the 17th World Congress of the International Pancreas and Islet Transplant Association. Nearly 350 attendees from >30 countries and 5 continents discussed the latest developments in beta cell replacement to treat type 1 diabetes. It was an exciting time, as Southern France was in the midst of a record heatwave with temps to 1140 (45.90 C), while IPITA shared Lyon's international stage with the FIFA Women's World Cup semifinals in which the US team prevailed over a spirited UK team.

The congress began with a pre-meeting focused on follow up of the consensus conference held by IPITA in Igls, Austria in 2017 that established a paradigm to define post-transplant beta cell function; such criteria have long been lacking in the field and will facilitate scientific comparison of outcomes of various approaches to beta cell replacement. The meeting proper centered on advances in pancreas and islet transplantation as well as new developments in artificial pancreas, stem cells and beta cells, xeno-islets and blastocyst complementation to generate human organs in animal hosts.

Several highlights from the meeting merit specific mention. First is the fine work of the Young Investigators Committee (YIC) who not only developed and ran an excellent pre-meeting pancreas recovery simulation session, but also orchestrated the "Cavemen versus Dinosaurs" debate forum during which the YIC Cavemen challenged long-held dogma about pancreas and islet transplantation that the more mature Dinosaurs tried to defend; it was an epic battle in which both sides claimed victory. Second, there was clear evidence presented of improved results for both isolated islet and whole organ pancreas transplant. The value of these options was poignantly illustrated in testimonials by type 1 patients during two plenary sessions about living with T1D and the impact of a cure. Most exciting though may the report of plans for the first non-encapsulated trial of porcine islets with clinically relevant immunosuppression, and the critical mass of academic and industry teams progressing toward clinical evaluation of stem cell derived islets.

Left to right: IPITA Council- Giuseppe Orlando, Hanne Scholz, Nathan Zammit, Matthew Cooper, Jon Odorico, James Markmann, Thierry Berney, Tom Kay, Raja Kandaswamy, Michael Rickels, Duck Jong Han and Lorenzo Piermonti

Prior to the Lyon meeting the IPITA Council met to discuss the status and direction of the association. I am glad to report that the Association has developed a solid financial position over the last few years as well a vibrant community of young and more senior participants. We are fortunate to have our focus centered in a fast-moving field that has the potential for tangible progress toward a cure for T1D in the coming years. Given recent developments in beta cell sources that carry the potential for an unlimited supply, the council began discussions of how IPITA needs to evolve to embrace these technologies and to lead in their development. In the coming months, the Council will seek the opinions of the membership on these and other issues.

Please join IPITA to continue these discussions at the Third Opinion Leaders meeting on Stem Cell Derived Beta Cells on April 21-22, 2020 in Boston MA at the Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School. And, we look forward to seeing substantive additional progress over the next two years when we convene the tri-partite meeting of IPITA, IXA, and CTRMS to be held October 20-25, 2021 in San Diego, California.

Finally, on behalf of the Association, I wish to thank Dr. Thierry Berney for his strong and able leadership as IPITA President over the past two years. I am humbled to follow Dr. Berney in this role and look forward to serving the Association over the next two years.

James F. Markmann MD, PhD
IPITA President