[Crib-list] CRiB (Computational Research in Boston Seminar -- Friday, 09/02/2005 (fwd)

[Shirley Entzminger]

TODAY
----------

COMPUTATIONAL RESEARCH IN BOSTON SEMINAR
Friday, September 2, 2005
12:30 PM
Building 2, Room 105
(Pizza and beverages will be provided.)

************************************************************************

TOPIC:	MAXIMIZING PAIRED KIDNEY DONATION

SPEAKER:  SOMMER GENTRY (United States Naval Academy)

ABSTRACT:

Kidney transplantation is the best option for many end-stage-renal-disease 
patients, but about one-third of patients who have a willing live donor will 
find that they have an incompatibility that prevents the direct donation. 
Paired kidney exchange is an innovative but embryonic approach that allows an 
incompatible donor/recipient pair to exchange kidneys with another donor and 
recipient in a similar situation.  To choose the best method of selecting 
patients and donors to exchange kidneys before any national paired donation 
program begins, we examine different algorithms for arranging paired kidney 
exchanges on simulated patient populations. Optimal matchings over a graph 
representing the incompatible pairs and possible trades can guarantee that the 
patient-donor pairs are matched to the greatest possible benefit.  Maximum edge 
weight matching affords both customizing each patient's match to his 
preferences and protecting disadvantaged groups. Including triple exchanges 
presents a computational challenge, as does projecting wait-list growth over 
more than three years.

This is work with Dr. Dorry Segev and Dr. Robert Montgomery, both transplant 
surgeons at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

****************************************************************************

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Department of Mathematics
Cambridge, MA  02139


http://www-math.mit.edu/crib

For information on CRiB, contact:

Alan Edelman:  edelman at math.mit.edu
Steven G. Johnson:  stevenj at math.mit.edu
Jeremy Kepner:  kepner at ll.mit.edu