Gina Rayat
Director
Surgical Medical Research Institute
University of Alberta
Canada
Biography
Dr. Rayat’s research focus is to understand the mechanism(s) of islet xenograft rejection and to develop safer strategies for preventing rejection and induction of tolerance to islet xenografts. Despite the current success in this field of islet transplantation, two major problems need to be addressed so that this therapy can be applied to the majority of individuals with type 1 diabetes. These problems are shortage of human islets for transplantation and the chronic use of immunosuppressive drugs to prevent rejection of the transplant.
Research Interest
Islet xenotransplantation, tansplantation tolerance, autoimmunity (type 1 diabetes)