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Advancing Medical Research & Development

When families authorize a donation for medical research, their loved one contributes to a better tomorrow. Donations for research purposes can save and heal future lives through the advancement of medical research. Donor Network West partners with researchers who analyze samples, conduct clinical trials, and who work to improve the outcomes of transplanted organs. Without organ and tissue donation for research, a significant amount of this work could otherwise not be accomplished.

“Donating Carter’s organs and tissues for research was a wonderful tribute that added a layer of dignity and meaning to her life. It gave us strength, hope, and peace to know that her gifts would impact the lives of others through science and research.”
Aline Copp, Donor Mother

Partner with Donor Network West

“We have immense admiration, respect, and gratitude for the entire Donor Network West team, and for the generous donors and families of donors who make this research possible.”
E.J. Chichilnisky, Ph.D. | Professor of Neurosurgery and Ophthalmology, Stanford University
“The lungs received by Matthay Lab from Donor Network West have been of major scientific and clinical value for understanding mechanisms of lung injury and testing new therapies.”
Michael Matthay, MD | Professor In Residence Associate Director, Critical Care Medicine Research Lab Director, Acute lung Injury and ARDS: Research and Clinical Trials, UCSF
“I would like to thank Donor Network West for its tremendous assistance and contributions. We have received some of the fastest and freshest tissue samples for a truly a unique and world-leading project and we are so proud to be doing it in partnership with Donor Network West.”
Stephen Quake DPhil | Lee Otterson professor of Bioengineering and professor of Applied Physics at Stanford, Co-president of Chan Zuckerberg Biohub
“Donor Network West enables us to make breakthroughs and be at the translational research front line as part of Stanford’s initiative to cure hearing loss. The research team’s professional approach and scientific knowledge supports our life-enhancing mission to transition from the laboratory bench to the patient bedside. Their devotion supports our efforts of optimizing our processes.”
Yona Vaisbuch, M.D. | Otolaryngology Clinical Instructor, Dept. of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery – Stanford University School of Medicine
“As one of the principal investigators in the NIH-sponsored APOL1 Long-term Kidney Transplantation Outcomes (APOLLO) Research Network, we work directly with several OPO’s and know of the operations of other OPO’s around the country. There is no one more responsive to queries from the APOLLO research team than Dr. Ahmad Salehi of Donor Network West.”
Chi-yuan Hsu, MD, MSc | Professor and Division Chief, Division of Nephrology UCSF University of California, San Francisco
“The Donor Network West is an invaluable resource. We are incredibly fortunate to have such a dedicated team working to support our human research. Our thanks to Dr Salehi and the DNW staff, and to the many donors who make our studies of the human vasculature and immune systems possible. The tissues we receive from the DNW are critical to our breakthrough research in human immune cell trafficking in health and disease.”
Eugene Butcher, M.D. | Klaus Bensch Professor of Pathology at Stanford University and a staff physician at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System
“The work we do through the UCSF VITAL Core is designed to facilitate connections between the local basic-science community and the incredible Donor Network West research team. The groundbreaking and diverse research facilitated by the VITAL Core in collaboration with Donor Network West has already led to profound discoveries in human physiology and immunology, and it is only possible because of the incredible generosity of organ and tissue donors and their families, and the wonderful research team at Donor Network West led by Dr. Ahmad Salehi.”
James Gardner, MD, PhD | Assistant Professor, UCSF Department of Surgery Principal Investigator, UCSF Diabetes Center Director, UCSF VITAL Core