Satoshi Miyairi, MD, PhD, Receives FY26 Summer’s Wish Cardiology Innovator’s Fund Award for Pediatric Heart Transplant Research

Satoshi Miyairi, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Division of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, has been awarded a $188,000 (total, over two years) grant by the FY26 Summer's Wish Cardiology Innovator's Fund for his research on Autologous Thymus Re-transplantation: A Novel Approach to Enhance Transplant Tolerance in Pediatric Heart Transplantation.

This project will establish a novel preclinical model of autologous thymus re-transplantation to restore thymic function after thymectomy, a procedure required during pediatric cardiac surgery. By testing whether re-implanted thymic tissue can regenerate immune development, this research aims to lay the foundation for a new strategy to improve long-term outcomes in children undergoing heart transplantation.  

If successful, this approach could regenerate the recipient's immune system, thereby lowering infection risk, improving graft survival, and enhancing long-term outcomes of pediatric heart transplants. It has the potential to fundamentally shift how we manage immune reconstitution in young transplant patients.

This work is highly translational: the techniques are practical and based on well-established surgical methods, making eventual clinical application realistic. The project leverages the University of Minnesota's strong expertise in immunology and transplantation, providing the ideal environment to advance this innovative therapy toward improving outcomes for children with heart disease.  

Congratulations, Dr. Miyairi!