Tambi Jarmi, M.D.

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SUMMARY

The research aim of Tambi Jarmi, M.D., is focused on increasing access to organs available for transplantation. Significant numbers of organs procured from deceased donors are considered suboptimal for transplant purposes and are likely to be discarded. By fostering appropriate education and awareness, Dr. Jarmi hopes to improve the quality of suboptimal organs with an ultimate goal of having transplants for patients with end-stage organ failure and helping these patients enjoy a better quality of life.

Focus areas

• Using stem cells for organ rehabilitation. Dr. Jarmi leads an effort dedicated to discovering the best way to treat suboptimal kidneys obtained for transplantation. These organs are considered unsuitable for transplant based on their quality. He is studying different methods to deliver therapeutic stem cells to the kidney before transplantation. Two methods are being proposed. One method is to directly inject the stem cells into the kidney while the kidney is still preserved in ice. The second method is to use direct infusion while the kidney is in ice.
• Applying chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy to desensitize patients before transplant. Significant numbers of patients waiting for organ transplants are considered sensitized — having antibodies that have been preformed by their immune systems — which is considered a major obstacle to finding a matching organ. Dr. Jarmi is leading efforts to adopt or modify the CAR T-cell technology used to treat patients with cancer to pretreat highly sensitized transplant candidates, so they are matched with an appropriate organ.
• Developing a scoring system, with the help of artificial intelligence, to measure patients' vascular calcification to predict outcomes. Cardiovascular disease remains the primary cause of mortality after kidney transplantation. Dr. Jarmi is leading the effort to use artificial intelligence to develop a score system to measure and quantitate the severity of vascular calcification. This system will help prioritize transplant for patients with end-stage kidney disease. Transplant can help stop and potentially reverse the calcification disease process.

Significance to patient care

Organ shortage is currently the main problem for patients with end-stage organ failure. Dr. Jarmi's goal is to develop a novel approach to increase access to available organs and to improve survival after transplantation.

Organ rehabilitation is one of the promising ways to enlarge the organ pools available for transplantation. Applying cellular-based therapeutic approaches is a promising way to rehabilitate suboptimal organs and to optimize potential recipients' immune systems to ensure better survival and quality of life.