• Project Title: Liver Transplantation: Demographic Disparities and Ethical Decisions

  • BASIS Advisor: Blaine Hartman

  • Internship Location: George Washington University

  • Onsite Mentor: Dr. Naoru Koizumi

Given bio-medical limitations in healthcare today, properly allocating resources to maximize outcomes is a pressing matter. Within transplantation, this issue is especially important given how additional information can affect the priority list for liver transplants. In my research at the GWU Transplant Institute, I will conduct data analysis to determine the differences in liver transplant outcomes based on the different races, genders, ages, and pre-existing conditions of both donors and recipients. The study hopes to promote a large change in success rate policies for each transplantation office s in an effort to provide liver transplant access for more patients. GWU is one of the few institutions that provide transplants to underserved communities and emphasize the patient’s health as opposed to just the predicted success rate. I hope to discover a practical way that clinics can use this research/information to make a more informed decision in how they allocate livers. This research may impact how a live-saving transplant is administered, taking into account demographic disparities when making these ethical decisions.