PREPAIR-1: Physiology of Renal Ex vivo Perfusion for organ Assessment and Injury Repair – 1

In PREPAIR-1, a preclinical model will be utilized to identify molecular biomarkers that define the effect of ex vivo normothermic perfusion on porcine kidneys and how ex vivo perfusion differs from a kidney perfused in vivo. First, both kidneys of each animal are imaged in vivo in an MRI scanner, while under general anesthesia. Next, both kidneys are surgically retrieved and perfused ex vivo. One kidney of each pair will be exposed to warm ischemic injury. From both kidneys, tissue biopsies and circulating perfusate / blood samples will be taken just prior to retrieval and, subsequently, each hour during ex vivo perfusion. Radiological data are obtained while the anesthetized pig and the ex vivo machine are placed in an MRI scanner. Molecular multi-omics and radiomics analyses will be performed. Ex vivo and in vivo findings will be longitudinally contrasted in order to characterize the typical effect that ex vivo perfusion has on an isolated kidney.