The University of Oxford spinout, OrganOx, has developed advanced medical devices that maintain livers and kidneys outside the body for extended periods. These devices have significantly increased transplant numbers, reduced night-time operations, and lowered healthcare costs.
OrganOx also introduced a third device providing 'liver dialysis' using organs outside the body to aid liver failure recovery without transplants. The technology replicates physiological conditions at body temperature and allows automated organ preservation for up to 24 hours clinically.
This innovation has facilitated over 6,000 transplants globally, with some facilities reporting a 30% increase in transplants and reduced waiting times. Dr. Alison Vincent praised OrganOx as a "worthy winner" of the MacRobert Award for its groundbreaking impact on transplantation efforts.
Professor Constantin Coussios highlighted the complexity of emulating liver and kidney functions but emphasized the life-saving outcomes achieved by their devices. He expressed gratitude to the OrganOx team and acknowledged the support from the UK innovation ecosystem.
OrganOx was awarded the 2025 MacRobert Award at an event hosted by the Royal Academy of Engineering. The award recognizes transformative UK engineering achievements with societal benefits. Science Minister Lord Vallance presented them with a gold medal and £50,000 prize.
The winning team includes Professor Constantin Coussios, Professor Peter Friend, Jacob Barrett, Rupa Basu, Jessica Day, Dr. Toni Day, Matt Ellen, Richard Kent, Craig Marshall, Chris Morris, Andy Self, Daniel Voyce, and Clint Watts.
Read more about this story on The Royal Academy of Engineering's website.