Presentations to highlight Hypothermic Oxygenated Perfusion (HOPE) with VitaSmart™ in human uterus and small intestine transplants, the latter comparing HOPE with normothermic oxygenated perfusion
DULUTH, Ga., June 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bridge to Life™ Ltd., a global innovator of commercial stage organ preservation and perfusion technologies, today announced the oral presentations of accepted abstracts, including a Plenary Session presentation, at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Transplant Congress (ATC). The conference is scheduled to take place in Boston, MA, from June 20-24, 2026.
All times are Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).
Oral Abstract Presentations
Abstract Title: “HOPE for Human Uterus Transplantation: Improved Preservation and Viability Assessment for Enhanced Donor Utilization”
Session Title: Emerging Discoveries Oral Abstract Session – VCA
Location: 254AB, Level 2
Date/Time: Sunday, June 21st, 3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Presenter: Keyue Sun, MD, Cleveland Clinic
Abstract Title: “Donor Serum FMN Reflects Mitochondrial Injury and Predicts Outcomes After Liver Transplantation: A Metabolic Donor Signature of Graft Quality”
Session Title: Emerging Discoveries Oral Abstract Session – Liver: Expanding the Donor Pool -1
Date/Time: Sunday, June 21st, 3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Location: 210A, Level 2
Presenter: F. Selin Yildirim, MD, Cleveland Clinic
Abstract Title: “Comparison of Hypothermic Oxygenated and Normothermic Machine Perfusion of Human Small Intestine for Transplantation”
Session Title: Monday Plenary Session
Location: Ballroom
Date/Time: Monday, June 22nd, 8:15 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
Presenter: Koki Takase, MD, Cleveland Clinic
Poster Abstract Presentation
Abstract Title: “Extended Hypothermic Machine Perfusion (HOPE) – A Safe Method to Facilitate Prolonged Ex-Situ Preservation of DCD Liver Grafts”
Poster Abstract Session: Liver: Expanding the Donor Pool
Date/Time: Saturday, June 20th, 5:45 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.
Location: Exhibit Hall, Abstract A 175
Presenter: Janske Reiling, MD, University Hospital Birmingham
Invited Presentation
Presentation Title: “Normothermic vs. hypothermic machine perfusion – is one superior to the other?”
Session Title: Interactive Symposium – Advanced Liver Perfusion: Successes, Setbacks, and Lessons Learned
Date/Time: Tuesday, June 23rd, 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
Location: 204AB, Level 2
Presenter: Andrea Schlegel, MD, MBA, Cleveland Clinic
Bridge to Life Symposium
Bridge to Life is excited to sponsor a timely symposium on advances in machine perfusion during ATC 2026.
Symposium Title: “The Next Era of Machine Perfusion: From Evidence to Adoption in Clinical Practice”
Location: 156 ABC at the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center
Date/Time: Monday, June 22nd, 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
Session Description:
This session will define the next phase of machine perfusion in liver transplantation by connecting clinical evidence with real-world implementation in the early U.S. post-commercialization setting. The program will begin with the Bridge to HOPE trial, a pivotal study evaluating HOPE in liver transplantation, and its implications for current practice, followed by an updated perspective on the clinical and mechanistic rationale for HOPE. It will then explore how viability assessment during hypothermia is evolving from descriptive observation to objective decision making, and conclude with a discussion of the economic and operational realities of implementing perfusion at scale, including workflow integration, resource utilization, and long-term sustainability in the HOPE era.
Agenda
Welcome & Framing: Why HOPE Matters Now
Moderator: Roberto Hernandez-Alejandro, MD, FACS, FRCSC, University of Rochester Medical Center
From Trial to Practice: What HOPE Changes in 2026
Speaker: David Foley, MD, University of Wisconsin
Beyond Traditional Biomarkers: Viability Assessment During Hypothermic Perfusion
Speaker: Andrea Schlegel, MD, MBA, Cleveland Clinic
From Adoption to Sustainability in the HOPE Era
Speaker: Ian Jamieson, MBA, MHA, Duke Transplant Center
Panel Discussion: The Next Phase of Adoption
This symposium is not part of the ATC official educational program and the sessions and content are not endorsed by ATC.
About Bridge to Life™ Ltd.
Bridge to Life™ Ltd. is a global innovator in organ preservation technologies and solutions, offering premier products such as the VitaSmart™ Hypothermic Oxygenated Perfusion System, Belzer UW®, and EasiSlush®. With a strong focus on product quality, innovation and accessibility, the company serves and partners with leading transplant centers and organ procurement organizations globally.
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SOURCE Bridge to Life, Ltd.
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