General Information
The Emory Center for Islet Transplantation, funded through a generous grant from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, opened in June 2002. Emory's Center is one of only a handful of such centers in the world, and the only one in Georgia.
Islet transplantation in the United States is still being researched, and at Emory University this research is in the form of a clinical trial. The objective of the clinical trial is to determine if the successful islet transplant results observed by other institutions can be reproduced at Emory. We also work to contribute further to advances in the field of islet transplantation. Currently recipients of islet transplant must take immunosuppressive drugs to prevent rejection; therefore, islet transplantation is only appropriate for patients with specific problems associated with brittle diabetes.
| PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS |
- Clinical Islet lab opened in June 2002
- IRB and FDA approval received in January 2003
- The first islet transplant performed March 20, 2002
- The only islet cell transplant program in the state of Georgia
- Currently have one islet transplant protocol open for patients and three islet transplant protocols pending
- Have transplanted 9 patients
| FACILITIES |
Patient care is provided by the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC), which is located in the Emory University Hospital. The GCRC is funded by the National institute of Health (NIH). It is one of 78 centers that provide an optimal setting for medical investigators to conduct safe, controlled, state-of-the-art, in-patient and out-patient research studies. Investigators who have research project funding from NIH or other peer-reviewed sources may apply to use GCRCs.
Surgery and some of patient testing is conducted in the regular departments of the Emory University Hospital and The Emory Clinic.
Islets are isolated in a state-of-the-art "clean room" that meets FDA recommendations for cGMP processing of sterile drugs. The processes used and procedures followed are designed to insure a safe product for patient administration.
| OFFICE HOURS |
Staff are available Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for routine questions and appointments. They are also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for transplants.
| CONTACT INFORMATION |
Contact us via e-mail at islets@emoryhealthcare.org.
1364 Clifton Rd NE
Room E 426
Atlanta, GA 30322
Phone: 404-712-1114
We are currently accepting new applications for the islet transplant clinical trial.
