Brittney Knott, a doctoral candidate and a researcher in the laboratory of Paige Porrett, M.D., Ph.D., will give an oral plenary presentation at the 31st International Congress of the Transplantation Society on September 23, 2026, in Sydney, Australia.
The conference draws more than 3,000 transplant clinicians and scientists from more than 100 countries, and only a small number of submitted abstracts are selected for its plenary sessions, placing Knott's research before that global audience. Her abstract, entitled “Adverse pregnancy outcomes driven by tacrolimus blockade of IL-15-dependent differentiation of tissue resident natural killer cells,” describes how a widely used anti-rejection drug may contribute to pregnancy complications in transplant recipients.
Patients who receive an organ transplantation take medication to keep the body from rejecting the new organ. One of the most common of these drugs is tacrolimus. Knott's research suggests that tacrolimus may interfere with immune cells the uterus needs to support a healthy pregnancy, which could help explain why transplant recipients face higher rates of pregnancy complications
“Brittney's selection for a plenary session reflects both the quality of her work and how directly it speaks to patients. Pregnancy after transplant carries many complexities, and her research is helping us understand why,” said Porrett. “To see a graduate student present this work on an international stage is exactly the kind of impact we hope comes out of the lab.”
Brittney’s research builds upon Porrett lab research efforts, which study how immune cells shape pregnancy and how that knowledge can improve outcomes for transplant recipients.
“An oral plenary in this stage is a significant achievement for a graduate student. It reflects the strength of the research training in our division and the caliber of the questions our trainees are tackling in their reserach. We are proud to see Brittney's work recognized at this level,” said Jacqueline Garonzik Wang, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Division of Transplantation and co-director of the Comprehensive Transplant Institute.
About The Transplantation Society
The Transplantation Society (TTS) serves as the international body advancing the science and practice of transplantation, with more than 5,000 members in over 100 countries. Its international conference held this year as the 31st congress in Sydney, Australia, from September 20-23, 2026, brings together clinicians, scientists, and trainees from around the world for several days of research presentations, lectures, and education. TTS 2026 is co-hosted by the Transplantation Society of Australia and New Zealand. The society also publishes Transplantation, a leading peer-reviewed journal in the field.