The Transplant Research Center at The Catholic University (Catholic Institute for Organ Transplantation) was established to advance academic progress and clinical innovation in organ transplantation, with a particular focus on kidney diseases. The Center collaborates with leading domestic and international experts to establish a scientific foundation for elucidating the mechanisms of kidney diseases and developing effective treatments. Through translational research, it is committed to developing therapies ultimately applicable to patient care.

Since its establishment in 2008, the Center has conducted pioneering research on the mechanisms and treatments of immunosuppressant toxicity, kidney transplant rejection, and the roles of diabetes and aging in kidney disease, remaining at the forefront of these fields in Korea. Since 2020, its research scope has expanded to include kidney disease modeling using induced pluripotent stem cells, development of siRNA- and gene-based therapies, immune tolerance therapies, cell-based therapeutics, and mitochondrial- and lipid nanoparticle-based kidney regeneration treatments, and it has successfully secured numerous national research grants.

In collaboration with Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital’s Organ Transplant Center and Nephrology Department, the Center conducts multi-institutional research on transplantation, builds national cohorts, and carries out genomic and biomarker studies. In addition, it develops AI-based predictive models for the clinical management of patients receiving transplantation or dialysis and those with chronic kidney diseases, thereby advancing precision medicine with the goal of improving patient outcomes and quality of life.The Transplant Research Center continues to generate new knowledge and therapies in transplantation and kidney disease, serving as an integrated platform connecting education, research, and clinical care.