ISHLT Launches Foundation to Fund Research in Thoracic Transplantation, Mechanical Circulatory Support, and Pulmonary Hypertension

BOSTON, April 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) has established a new sister organization: the ISHLT Foundation. This new entity serves as the charitable arm of ISHLT, and will fund a global portfolio of research grants and fellowship awards to improve patient care for advanced heart and lung disease. Research funded by the ISHLT has led to key advancements in areas like mechanical circulatory support and related therapies, chronic allograft dysfunction and antibody-mediated rejection, precision medicine in transplantation, immune modulation, and helping pediatric transplant recipients survive and thrive. The ISHLT Foundation will usher in a new generation of research in service of patients around the world.

The Foundation is governed by an 11-member Board of Trustees, chaired by James K. Kirklin, MD, an ISHLT Past President and a recipient of the ISHLT Lifetime Achievement Award for his significant scientific and surgical contributions. The creation of the ISHLT Foundation provides an opportunity to galvanize the ISHLT community in raising funds for research in thoracic transplantation, MCS, and pulmonary hypertension.

The Foundation has launched the Fostering Excellence fundraising campaign to maximize the collective impact of ISHLT members, corporate partners, and others interested in supporting this work. Chaired by Francis Pagani, MD, PhD (Member Chair) and Reg Seeto, MBBS, CEO and President of CareDx, Inc (Corporate Chair), the campaign has already raised nearly $5 million USD from member gifts and organizational partners.  

"The Fostering Excellence Campaign presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for members within the ISHLT community to step up and to lead this visionary initiative," said Dr. Kirklin. "Our organization is at a crossroads, and this effort will allow the ISHLT Foundation to fund programs that will positively impact the lives of countless patients around the world. I'm committed to doing my part, and hope my friends and colleagues join me in supporting the Foundation."

"The creation of the ISHLT Foundation is an important step to driving the next wave of innovations and to support the best and brightest in our field as they explore new medical frontiers," said Reg Seeto, MBBS, CEO and President of CareDx and Corporate Chair of the Fostering Excellence campaign.

The Foundation will ensure sustainable, continuous innovation and development for the global community of researchers and clinicians working with this patient population," said ISHLT CEO Greg Schultz, CAE. "We are excited to build a diverse portfolio of grants and awards that advance the values and mission of this unique, international, multidisciplinary organization."

The Foundation is a recognized 501(c)3 charitable organization. All ISHLT members, corporate constituents, and other stakeholders are encouraged to learn more about the Foundation and the Fostering Excellence Campaign by visiting www.ISHLTFoundation.org. 

About ISHLT
The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation is a not-for-profit, multidisciplinary professional organization dedicated to improving the care of patients with advanced heart or lung disease through transplantation, mechanical support and innovative therapies. With members in more than 50 countries, ISHLT is the world's largest organization dedicated to the research, education and advocacy of end-stage heart and lung disease. ISHLT members represent more than 15 different professional disciplines. For more information, visit www.ishlt.org.

SOURCE The International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation