A life-savin project has taen shape as the University o Glesga’s first no-for-profit social enterprise spinoot. KEPsoft Collaborative, born fae the wark o fower European research institutions, plans tae boost the odds for kidney patients tae fin life-chyngin matches wi livin donors. The venture sprang fae the jynt wark o the University o Glesga, INESC TEC in Portugal, the Budapest-based HUN-REN Centre for Economic an Regional Studies (KRTK), an Óbuda University.

The new company offers a saftware platform that helps connect thae in need wi transplant options. The plan haes awready bin yaised by national groups rinnin kidney exchynge programmes tae tie donors tae recipients. In the United Kinrick, algorithms devised by Professor David Manlove an colleagues steered the UK Livin Kidney Sharin Scheme, Europe’s lairgest o its kin. Reports estimate that atween 2008 an 2024, thae plans paved the wey for aroond 600 extra kidney transplants compared tae earlier methods.

Short-term plans centre on transplant groups in Europe, yet mony lands want sic donor-swap schemes. Wi an estimated 850 million fowk warldwide facin kidney problem, KEPsoft Collaborative aims tae shed licht on a grave need.

A new project cried EURO-KEP is set tae back national an international kidney exchynge programmes in Europe. The endeavour, led by the Organización Nacional de Trasplantes (Spanish National Transplant Organisation) an co-backed unner the EU4Health programme, will further shape the KEPsoft platform. The project team has earned praise wi a prize fae the Converge Create Chynge Challenge in 2024.

Vijay Luthra, CEO o KEPsoft Collaborative an a renal transplant recipient, said: “The social enterprise model allous us tae focus on the needs o the maist important stakehauders, namely kidney patients waitin for a transplant. It recognises the collaborative naiture o the wark, includin oor foondin memmers. Oor goal is tae mak kidney transplantation mair accessible tae patients aroond Europe an ayont, an tae that eyn we are maist gratefu for the financial an operational support provided by The Challenges Group Ventures Lab an by Community Enterprise in Scotland (CEIS).”

Professor David Manlove, Scientific Adviser tae KEPsoft Collaborative at the University o Glesga, said: “Ayont the foondin institutions, the project has enjoyed wide collaboration includin the ENCKEP COST Action (funded by the European Union) that haed 28 pairticipatin kintras. KEPsoft has haed inpit fae stakehauders fae a range o disciplines, includin policy makkers, clinicians, surgeons, nephrologists, immunologists, computer scientists an economists.”

University o Glesga Heid o Commercialisation Mel Anderson said: “The KEPsoft saftware platform has the potential tae transform lives by significantly improvin the nummer o kidney transplants throu optimisin donor-tae-patient matchin. Wi its pairtner varsities in Portugal an Hungary, the University o Glesga has created KEPsoft Collaborative, a no-for-profit social enterprise tae drive deployment an adoption o this important platform. This is the first o the University’s no for profit social enterprise ventures aimed at deliverin social guid fae research-led innovation. We wish the KEPsoft team ilka success.”

This fresh venture staunds as a firm effort tae ease the harsh toll o kidney failure an tae mend lives wi smairt, weel-aimed donor matchin.