The power of partnership: Exploring collaboration dynamics in U.S. transplant research

Resident-led Research Initiative Drives Collaboration and Productivity: A Bibliometric Network-Based Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Collaborative clinical research among trainees can accelerate new discoveries, improve nontechnical skills, and foster career growth. However, various obstacles exist which make research efforts during surgical training challenging. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a resident-led digital research infrastructure was associated with increased academic productivity among individuals and collaboration in scholarship during surgical training.

DESIGN

A multimodal resident-led initiative, Surgery Residents' Research Forum (SuRRF) was implemented in 2019. Databases were queried for publications for surgical residents and fellows from 2015 to 2023. Bibliometric network maps were created to evaluate scholarly activity and collaboration before and after SuRRF implementation. Networks consisted of clusters (representing set of related research items), linkages (representing co-authored items), and link strength (representing increased frequency of co-authorship).

SETTING

Residency and fellowship programs from teaching hospitals of an integrated health system in New York.

PARTICIPANTS

General surgery and surgical subspecialty residents and fellows.

RESULTS

A mean of 77 trainees were included each AY. Trainee participation in research increased from 26.1% in 2015 to 2016 to 62.5% in 2022 to 2023. The number of research items increased from 30 in 2015 to 2016 to 135 in 2022 to 2023. Bibliometric network analysis revealed an increase in research clusters, number of linkages, and link strength from 2015 to 2016 (10, 11, and 13 respectively) to 2022 to 2023 (25, 80, and 126, respectively). Pre-SuRRF to post-SuRRF analysis revealed a significant increase in the number of research items (40.25-109.5, p = 0.002), number of research clusters (11.75-23.25, p < 0.001), number of links (9.5-50.5, p = 0.027), and link strength (13.0-75.5, p = 0.029).

CONCLUSION

The resident research initiative, SuRRF, was associated with increased collaboration and academic productivity. Expanding similar programs nationally could enhance clinical research feasibility and foster a culture of collaboration and academic growth for surgical residents and fellows.

Navigating the changing landscape of transplant research: Trends, topics, and gender disparities

BACKGROUND

Transplantation is a rapidly evolving field, reflecting advances in medical science and changing healthcare needs. This study aims to elucidate shifts in research focus over a decade, providing insights into emerging trends in transplant research.

METHODS

We conducted a comprehensive analysis of 9,250 articles published in five high-impact transplant journals from 2012 to 2021. Article titles were processed to extract keywords using R Studio (v. 4.3.0). STATA 18 was used for t-tests and logistic regressions, with significance set at p ​< ​0.05.

RESULTS

Emerging topics over the decade included outcomes and survival, surgical innovations, and lung transplantation. There was a downward trend in research on immunosuppression, genetics, and immunology. Over the decade, the odds of women's first authorship were higher for subjects such as public health, pediatric transplantation, infectious diseases, renal transplantation, and psychological aspects. Similarly, there were lower odds for women as first authors on surgical innovations, organ preservation, living donor transplantation, liver and lung transplantation, and multiorgan transplantation. Senior women authors had higher odds of publishing on the same topics as first author, plus immunology, kidney and heart transplantation. There were lower odds that a woman would be last author of regenerative medicine and xenotransplantation. Over the decade, there were higher odds of funding for research published on xenotransplantation, regenerative medicine, and immunology. Living donor, infectious diseases, and liver transplantation had lower odds of being funded over time.

CONCLUSION

This cross-sectional study highlights the dynamic nature of transplant research, underscoring the importance of continuous observation of trends to anticipate future directions and needs in the field. The emergence of new focal areas, especially those related to technological advancements and social issues, reflects a broader trend in medical research responding to evolving challenges and opportunities. Notably, women's authorship was more prevalent in public health but less in surgical innovation. These insights can guide future research priorities, funding allocation, and clinical practices in transplantation.

Successful Collaboration: A Tale of a Tertiary Care Hospital and Its Designated Organ Procurement Organization

The death of a child is a tragedy of astronomical proportions. Pediatric trauma patients often have injuries so extensive that there is no hope of recovery. Though the tragedy can never be undone, organ donation can save lives and create a legacy for the donor and their loved ones. Organ donation is a multi-factorial and dynamic process that is further complicated in the case of pediatric trauma patients due to the sudden-onset and intense emotions experienced by the patient's family. A critical factor in the success of organ donation is the collaborative relationship between a hospital and its respective Organ Procurement Organization (OPO). Successful organ donation relies on this relationship, as neither entity can achieve this goal on its own. By examining the relationship between Saint Francis Children's Hospital in Tulsa, OK, and its OPO, LifeShare, this paper argues that a strong, collaborative relationship between a hospital and its OPO can maximize the rates of organ referrals and donations, thereby increasing the available supply of pediatric donors who have passed away.