WHO WE ARE
THE MENDEZ NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TRANSPLANTATION FOUNDATION (MNITF) is a public nonprofit dedicated to the mission of advancing the science and practice of organ transplantation and end-stage organ disease therapies through research, education, and innovation.
RESEARCH
We strive to improve the lives of those with end-stage organ disease and those with organ transplants. In 2014, the Mendez National Institute of Transplantation (MNIT) and MNITF merged and created the Research Grant Program, which awards grants semiannually to improve clinical outcomes and positively impact the field of transplantation. MNITF’s research excellence has been made manifest through our awards, patents, and strong publication record in scientific literature, which has helped change clinical practices worldwide.
education
We create education and outreach programs for underserved populations to increase awareness and access to transplantation. In English and Spanish, our award-winning digital series, Fixing Paco, provides vital information about kidney transplantation to Latinos and those with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), to educate patients and families about kidney transplantation, being proactive in healthcare, and living donation. In 2017 and 2018, we expanded our outreach nationally with the Get the Facts! Get Checked! Get Healthy! PSA campaign to promote kidney disease awareness and prevention and provide transplantation and organ donation education. In 2023, we launched the Linked by Love series and docuseries, along with the PSA starring Vanessa Williams, in an effort to decrease the disparities of kidney disease and increase access to transplantation and living donation among Black and African Americans.
innovation
We have contributed to many major advances: the use of young and old donors; transplantation across the ABO barrier; absorbing antigraft antibodies and the development of immunosuppressive protocols; work on xenoantibodies; islet encapsulation; and the innovative application of new technologies to detect donor-transmitted infections such as hepatitis, HIV, Chagas disease, and West Nile Virus. These innovations have made a real-world difference to patients and represent our continuing mission to develop and bring new clinical and basic developments to the transplant community.