Our time at BTS Congress 2026
Last week, the UK Organ Donation and Transplantation Research Network (UKODTRN) attended the British Transplantation Society (BTS) Annual Congress in Llandudno, Wales. The congress brought together clinicians, researchers, and allied health professionals from across the UK and beyond to share the latest research in organ donation and transplantation.
We had a lovely time catching up with some familiar faces, as well as raising awareness of our work to those who are new to the network. In particular, we advocated for good quality patient and public involvement at every stage of research, and sharing findings with those involved in an accessible way.
On Thursday, Jim Fallow of the Donor Family Network presented some initial findings from our joint project 'Donor family thoughts about solid organ and tissue research: results from a sample survey of the Donor Family Network'. He highlighted that most respondents felt positively about the use of organs and tissue for research, but there was a lack of knowledge about this type of research and the potential benefits it can have for future patients.
The presentation sparked a meaningful discussion amongst specialist nurses and other attendees about how to improve the current system to better support families in their decision-making.