Royal Free Charity | Family honours Pradip by funding transplant…

Family honours Pradip by funding transplant research

13 December 2024 
Pradip Patel and his family posed for a group photo.
Pradip surrounded by his family. 
In memory of Pradip, a Royal Free Hospital patient who died last autumn, his family is raising funds for research to prevent graft rejection in transplant patients – a cause close to Pradip’s heart after his own transplant experience. 

In 2017, after developing renal failure due to a childhood infection, Pradip Patel underwent a kidney transplant. While the surgery was initially successful, his body soon began to reject the new organ, a life-threatening complication that affects many transplant recipients. 

Pradip faced prolonged therapy and a gruelling recovery process. Once he was well enough, he organised a golf charity event, raising £16,000 to support research into organ rejection. 

His commitment to supporting research was recognised with an invitation to attend the formal opening of the Pears Building in 2021, the purpose-built home of the Institute of Immunity and Transplantation for scientists investigating the human immune system.

Mina Patel, Pradip’s wife said: The successful transplant gave Pradip a second chance at life and we are forever grateful for the extra years we got to spend with him. As a family, we want to continue Pradip’s charitable legacy and support others in a similar position to give them the best chance of post-transplant success.”

Following his death last autumn, family and friends contributed donations in lieu of funeral flowers. 

To mark the first anniversary of Pradip’s death, his family organised a fundraising golf day and dinner to continue his charitable legacy. Thanks to their fundraising efforts, over £26,000 has been contributed to further the research that Pradip supported.

Professor Reza Motallebzadeh (left) and Pradip Patel (right) at the opening of the Pears Building in 2021.
Prof Motallebzadeh and Pradip pictured at the opening of the Pears Building in 2021. 

The research

Graft rejection occurs when the immune system attacks the transplanted organ, viewing it as a foreign threat. It occurs in about 20–30% of transplant recipients, and if not treated promptly, it can leave the transplanted organ scarred and may result in long-term poor function. 

Professor Reza Motallebzadeh is a renal transplantation surgeon and leading researcher at the Institute of Immunity and Transplantation. 

Prof Motallebzadeh said: I am so honoured that the Patel family and friends are supporting my research efforts and continuing Pradip’s legacy of philanthropy. 

My team’s work aims to better understand the role of the gut-immune axis in kidney transplant rejection. It has begun to reveal how alterations in the gut microbiome can affect the production of key metabolites that either enhance or diminish the immune response to a kidney transplant. 

This research will help the design of novel interventions that can better mitigate the risk of rejection, and lead to longer survival of kidney transplants”. 

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