About our research group/lab
Our research
Stakeholder perspectives
New technologies, such as lab grown organs and perfusion machines, are constantly developing and pushing the boundaries of what is possible. In this research line we aim to give stakeholders a voice in these developments. To what extent is there acceptance or a perceived need for a new technology or programme? Which moral or ethical objections might there be? Which factors influence willingness and uptake? How might a technology influence outcomes or life after transplantation? Insights into stakeholder persepctives can help shape development and ensure optimal uptake and responsible implementation.
Education and access
How can we promote optimal education on transplantation so that patients and family members can make informed decisions regarding treatment? Often the information and choices are complex, therefore understanding peoples needs and preference can help us offer the best support. This research line has resulted in the Kidney Team at Home programme (Nierteam aan Huis), now offered nationally in the Netherlands.
Living well with a transplant
Transplantation can offer a new lease of life but also comes with treamtent requirements and lifestyle adjustments. Lifelong immunosuppresive medication is just one aspects of this new post-transplant life. Also, some individuals experience psychological, social or existential challenges such as re-entering the workforce or finding new balance in their relationships. In this research line we aim to explore which challenges recipients experience and what their support needs are. Subsequently, we develop programmes tailored to these needs with the ultimae goal of optimizing quality of life.
Living organ donation
Living donors offer their kidney in the hope of improved quality of life for the recipient. Consequently, they temporarily become a patient themselves. This research line focusses on how to optimal assess donor candidates as well as the impact of living donation on short-term and long-term psychosocial outcomes. We investigate specific groups of donors such as anonymous donors and ‘social media donors’ who do not have an emotional or genetic relationship with the recipient. With these insights we can optimize the donor screening and support processes.
Legal aspects and organ trade
The growing organ scarcity has led to a trade in human organs. We study various facets of this trade, including organ buying, organ selling, the organization of illegal transplants and law enforcement responses. We also explore alternative measures, such as allowing financial rewards for organ donation. This research line is led by Frederike Ambagtsheer. The organ trafficking research group has a website, www.organtraffickingresearch.org
Our projects
Stakeholder perspectives
Ongoing project: In the Convergence project ‘Making unsuitable organs suitable’, led by Professor Jan Ijzermans in collaboration with the TU Delft and Erasmus University, we will investigate the ethical and psychosocial considerations of repairing and regenerating organs through perfusion technology.
Upcoming project: In 2025 we will collaborate with UMCG and Radboud UMC on the ADORABLE project, financed by the NOW (One Kidney for Life call): Artificial intelligence-powered, Data-driven ORgan Allocation and Biomarker LEverage to improve kidney transplant outcomes. We will lead the work-package that aims to define conditions, from professional, patient and economic perspectives, for responsible development and implementation of an AI-based approach to predicting kidney outcomes.
Living well with a transplant
Upcoming project: We will collaborate on the PERSIMMON project, led by Professor Dennis Hesselink and financed by the NOW (One Kidney for Life call): PERSonalized IMMunosupresive medicine for ONe kidney for life. We will lead the work-package which aims to patients perspectives on personalised immunosuppressive medication, the interaction with medication adherence and strategies to optimize adherence support in a living lab.
Legal aspects and organ trade.
Ongoing project:
- In the “Organs as a Gateway to Europe” we study kidney sales amongst migrants entering the EU”. Zanna Ramaekers is performing her PhD research under this project.
- The project, “Investigating public opinions on financial (dis)incentives for organ donation in Europe”, cross-nationally surveys European citizens’ opinions on removing financial disincentives and allowing incentives for deceased and living organ donation.
Upcoming project:
- The : “ORGANTRADE project titled, “Walls of Secrecy and Silence in the Human Organ Trade: Facilitating, Concealing and Laundering Illegal Transplants” explores how illegal kidney transplants are organized.
- Global Health, Migration, Organ Transplantation and Organ Trade: Exploring the health-related harms and needs of people who sell their kidneys and of patients suffering from end-stage-kidney-disease in a migration context. This PhD project will be conducted by Saja Abusulttan
Key Publications
Selected publications
Clinical Translation of Bio-Artificial Pancreas Therapies: Ethical, Legal and Psychosocial Interdisciplinary Considerations and Key Recommendations. de Jongh D, Thom RL, Cronin AJ, Bunnik EM, Massey EK. Transpl Int. 2023 Sep 18;36:11705. doi: 10.3389/ti.2023.11705. PMID: 37789914; PMCID: PMC10543913.
Telemedicine for Kidney Transplant Recipients: Current State, Advantages, and Barriers. Hezer B, Massey EK, Reinders MEJ, Tielen M, van de Wetering J, Hesselink DA, van den Hoogen MWF. Transplantation. 2024 Feb 1;108(2):409-420. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000004660. Epub 2023 Jun 2. PMID: 37264512; PMCID: PMC10798592.
Living Kidney Donation: A Narrative Review of Mid- and Long-term Psychosocial Outcomes. Massey EK, Rule AD, Matas AJ. Transplantation. 2024 Jun 18:10.1097/TP.0000000000005094. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000005094. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38886889; PMCID: PMC11652709.
Ethical and Legal Aspects of Organ Donation and Transplantation. Ambagtsheer F, Annema C, Forsythe J, Jansen N, Paredes-Zapata D. Transpl Int. 2024 Apr 9;37:13011. doi: 10.3389/ti.2024.13011. PMID: 38655205; PMCID: PMC11036411.
Migrants' kidney sales, Fortress Europe and the transplant community: a call for awareness. Ramaekers, Z., Reinders, M. E. J., Staring, R. & Ambagtsheer, F., Oct 2024, In: Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation. 39, 10, p. 1543-1545.
Public Opinions on Removing Disincentives and Introducing Incentives for Organ Donation: Proposing a European Research Agenda. Ambagtsheer, F., Bunnik, E., Pengel, L. H. M., Reinders, M. E. J., Elias, J. J., Lacetera, N. & Macis, M., 3 Apr 2024, In: Transplant International. 37, 12483.
ResearchGate link:
Collaborations
Collaboration within Erasmus MC
Medical Ethics
- Eline Bunnik
Medical psychology and psychotherapy
- Leonieke Kranenburg
Collaboration outside of Erasmus MC
- Self-management: AnneLoes van Staa (Hogeschool Rotterdam)
- Convergence flagship: Esther de Bekker-Grob, Lucas Goossens (Erasmus University)
- PERSIMMON: Coby Annema
- ADORABLE: Adelita Ranchor, Mirjam Plantinga, Martin de Borst, Jan Stefan Sanders (UMCG)
- Nierpatienten Vereniging Nederland
- European Society of Organ Transplantation (ESOT)
- ELPAT: a subsection of ESOT
- Erasmus School of Law, Dpt. Of Law Society and Crime.
Under the (dis)incentives for organ donation project we collaborate with various people/institutions outside of Erasmus MC:
- Alberto Molina Perez, Instituto de Estudios Sociales Avanzados, Spain
- Sabine Wöhlke, Department Gesundheitswissenschaften, University of Hamburg, Germany
- Mario Macis, Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, USA
- Julio Elias, Universidad del CEMA, Argentina
- Nico Lacetera, University of Bologna, Italy
Funding & Grants
- EU / ERC
- Nierstichting
- NWO
Our team
PhD candidates
- Bartu Hezer
- Jaden Blazier
- Marinus Hazenbroek
- Dide de Jongh
- Saja Abusulttan
- Zanna Ramaekers
Home-montioring working group
- Jacqueline van de Wetering
- Martijn van den Hoogen
- Mirjam Tielen
- Dennis Hesselink
- Marleen van Buren
- Raoel Maan
- Caroline den Hoed
