MIT Researchers Pursue Organ Preservation Technology to Address Transplant Shortage

MIT Technology Review reports on ongoing efforts to extend the viability of donor organs outside the body, addressing a critical bottleneck in transplantation. Currently, most organs survive only hours when preserved on ice, limiting the geographic scope and timing of transplants; researchers are exploring advanced preservation methods that could enable "organ banks" for future use.

Why it matters: Extended organ preservation could dramatically expand the donor pool and save thousands of lives annually by removing time pressure from the transplant process.