Transplant Immunology Lab

If you or a loved one needs an organ or bone marrow transplant, you want the best possible care from an experienced team of transplant specialists. You can rest assured, knowing that your transplantation process is in good hands with the experts at Henry Ford Transplant.

In the Transplant Immunology Laboratory, our highly trained technologists have years of experience in transplantation immunology and compatibility testing. We perform complex procedures to evaluate and accurately match patients with donors for the best possible transplant outcomes.

Compatibility testing at the Transplant Immunology Lab

We use the latest technology and equipment for the highly specialized compatibility testing and evaluation needed for successful transplants. We work hand-in-hand with your physicians to ensure that you receive expert care throughout your transplantation process.

Our goal is to provide thorough, accurate information to your medical team, to help plan, guide and assess the effectiveness of your treatment. The tests we perform for solid organ and bone marrow stem cell transplants include:

• High and low resolution HLA typing: We test recipients’ and potential donors’ blood or other tissue to identify human leukocyte antigen (HLA) type to assess compatibility. An HLA match is based on several markers: the more markers the donor and recipient have in common, the better the transplant match.
• Antibody screening: We perform tests to see if there are HLA antibodies (and if so, how many) in the recipient that may attack the donor organ or stem cell transplant, increasing the risk of transplant rejection.
• Crossmatch evaluations: We combine blood samples from recipients and potential living donors, at different points during the transplantation process, to further assess compatibility. Crossmatch testing is used for kidney, liver and bone marrow transplants.
• Ongoing post-transplant monitoring: After your organ or marrow transplant, we perform tests at regular intervals to check for signs of organ rejection, marrow engraftment and disease relapse. Your transplant physician can adjust your medications to reduce the risk of rejection and relapse and improve engraftment.

Nationally recognized for transplant immunology work

The experienced team at the Transplant Immunology Lab has earned recognition for our commitment to excellent care for our transplant patients. That means we meet or exceed national standards for patient care in transplantation—which means better outcomes for you.

We have earned the following recognitions:

• American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics accreditation
• College of American Pathologists accreditation
• National Marrow Donor Program affiliate
• United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) affiliate

Learn more about our transplant recognitions and achievements.