2025 WCHRI Summer Student

How a made-in-Edmonton treatment protocol may change pediatric heart transplants

Yamin Raza’s research assessed the effectiveness of a treatment protocol developed at the U of A to manage human leukocyte antigens, or HLA, in children who have heart transplants. These antibodies can cause the body to reject a new heart, making it harder to find a matching donor and leading to poor outcomes.

The treatment protocol — developed in 2010 by her supervisor, Simon Urschel, and his colleagues in the departments of Pediatrics and Medicine — involves treatments before and after surgery to lower these antibodies. Raza looked at the treatment’s use over time to determine if it helped children receive transplants faster and resolve rejection and improved their long-term survival and health.

“I expected the data to be more straightforward, but instead I saw how complex and individualized pediatric care truly is. It gave me a deeper appreciation for the challenges of designing treatments that work for all patients and highlighted the importance of personalized medicine in pediatric care.”

Goals:

• Assess if the method reduced HLA antibodies and helped patients find a donor heart faster.
• Compare patient outcomes, such as survival, rejection rates and side effects.
• Check if the method reduced certain blood group antibodies, potentially allowing for children to receive heart transplants from donors with a different blood type.

Potential impact: The results of her study could provide evidence to support the U of A-developed treatment protocol, potentially extending its use for managing pediatric heart transplants worldwide. It could help more children receive life-saving transplants, improve their chances of survival, and enhance their quality of life.

Supervisor: Simon Urschel, professor, Department of Pediatrics; director, pediatric heart transplant program, Stollery Children’s Hospital

Funders: Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation

Interested in doing research to improve the health of women and/or children? Read more about WCHRI’s training awards for students at all levels and generous grants for researchers.