Organ transplantation, particularly whole heart transplants, is at the cutting edge of current medical advances, providing a lifeline to people suffering from end-stage heart failure. Despite the life-saving potential of heart transplants, a variety of problems, ranging from donor shortages to post-transplant complications, continue to hinder the effectiveness and accessibility of this treatment.

The global situation of organ transplantation offers a bleak picture: every year, over 50,000 people throughout the world wait for a new heart. However, only a minority of these people—approximately 5,000—will receive this revolutionary cure, emphasising the need for unexplored ways to bridge the gap between the demand for whole heart transplants and the scarcity of donor hearts.

In light of unmet medical demands, the implementation of bioengineered organs represents a promising change in organ transplantation. They have the potential to transform the practice of complete heart transplants by utilising advanced technologies such as 3D bioprinting, tissue engineering, biomaterials, and cellular materials, resulting in the future of personalised medicine and healthcare.

Total Heart Transplants: Current Challenges

Total heart transplants, while life-saving, present numerous challenges that hinder their widespread success and accessibility. The intricate nature of the heart, associated with the complexities of the transplant procedure, poses significant hurdles for both patients and healthcare providers. Rejection of the donor’s heart by the recipient’s immune system, the scarcity of suitable donor organs, and the lifelong dependence on immunosuppressant drugs are merely a few of the challenges of traditional heart transplants.

For example, the use of immunosuppressant drugs carries a range of side effects, including kidney damage and an increased risk of skin cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.  Infections are also one of the main concerns, as immunosuppressants reduce the body’s ability to combat diseases, leading many heart transplant recipients to require hospitalisation within the first year following their transplant.

Bioengineered Organs

Bioengineered organs offer a fresh approach to tackling the challenges seen in traditional organ transplants. By using high-tech methods and lessons from regenerative medicine, these organs are made to act like natural tissues, providing a tailored fix for patients needing total heart transplants.

In making bioengineered organs, tissue engineering plays a key role. This field blends engineering with biology to craft working tissue structures. Techniques like 3D bioprinting help in creating detailed tissue setups, letting scientists customise bioengineered organs to match each patient’s unique needs.

Bringing hope for better compatibility and less immune rejection by using the patient’s cells or cells from a compatible donor, significantly reduces the risk of rejection as well as the need for long-term immune-suppressing drugs, improving outcomes and quality of life post-total heart transplants.

Ethical Considerations 

Although bioengineered organs show promise for total heart transplants, they come with ethical dilemmas. An essential problem is how safe and effective these bioengineered hearts will be in the long run, as the interaction between artificial tissues and the recipient’s body could lead to unexpected issues. Guaranteeing the longevity, performance, and compatibility of bioengineered organs is a major challenge that researchers need to tackle to improve the outcomes of total heart transplants.

The ethical aspects involved in creating and using bioengineered hearts require thorough evaluation. Concerns about informed consent, fair access to new technologies, and overseeing bioengineered organs in medical settings highlight the need for a strong ethical foundation that protects the rights and welfare of patients. It is crucial to find a balance between advancing scientific knowledge and maintaining ethical standards and patient-focused healthcare to responsibly progress bioengineering technology.

Regulatory Challenges

Making bioengineered organs common in total heart transplants comes with big challenges on the regulatory front. These challenges need to be tackled to ensure that patients are safe and that the treatment works well. Regulatory bodies have to set clear rules and standards for developing, testing, and using bioengineered organs in real medical situations to reduce risks. Because bioengineered organs are complicated, a special set of rules is needed that mixes innovation with careful oversight to smoothly bring these cutting-edge technologies into everyday medical practice.

Moreover, the affordability and ability to scale up the production of bioengineered organs pose real-world challenges that call for creative solutions to make them more accessible and cost-effective for patients. Researchers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers must work together to tackle these issues and promote the long-term use of bioengineered organs as a feasible treatment choice for individuals with advanced heart failure.

Future Prospects in Organ Engineering

By using artificial intelligence and machine learning in organ engineering, we can make bioengineered organs more precisely and quickly. This means researchers can create custom organ structures with great accuracy and speed. These advancements, along with a better understanding of how hearts regenerate at a molecular level, show us a future where bioengineered hearts could become a common part of medical care.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the advent of bioengineered organs represents a transformative shift in the field of total heart transplants, offering new possibilities for patients with end-stage heart failure. By harnessing the power of advanced technology and regenerative medicine, bioengineered organs hold the potential to revolutionise organ transplantation and redefine the standard of care for individuals in need of total heart transplants.

As researchers continue to innovate and explore new frontiers in organ engineering, the future of bioengineered hearts appears promising, with opportunities to enhance patient outcomes, improve quality of life, and address the unmet needs of individuals awaiting heart transplants. Integrating bioengineered organs into clinical practice requires a large effort to overcome regulatory, ethical, and practical challenges, to ensure that it is deployed responsibly for the benefit of patients worldwide.

Start reading:

• The Mere-Exposure Effect: What is it, and where can it be applied?
• The 16 personalities in Island School
• Why does not a single aquarium in the world house a great white shark?
• Hong Kong’s COVID recovery: strengthening the competitiveness of the city
• Girl in uniform
• The Evolution of Football Tactics
• An analysis of Liverpool 7-0 Manchester United

…and loads more! Browse through our website to find recent articles and other creative submissions.

In addition for our summer issue, we are opening up submissions to the entire school body. So if you would like to submit anything, please fill out the attached form with your ideas for consideration. 

Happy reading!

Please see below the latest Study Smart newsletter containing a student interview on English World Literature and an introduction to the Pomodoro revision technique. We hope this information helps you with your IGCSE revision! 

The Study Smart Team

Read their first edition below!

PREVIEW OF ISLAND CURRENTS: Vice Principal Mr Jobling talks citizenship, diversity, and spirit.

Transcript:

Katrina: Good afternoon, I’m Katrina. Here, I’m with Hannah and today we will have our DIVE interview with our special guest, our vice principal, Mr Jobling. The DIVE Publications is a collaboration between the Island School English Committee and our student news platform, Island Currents.

Hannah: Which serves the purpose as a commemoration for the long-awaited return to Borrett Road through a collective showcase of all stakeholders that have shaped and transcended Island School’s rich legacy. Our theme of today’s interview is ‘Spirit of Diversity: Promoting Citizenship’ within Island School. Mr Jobling, would you like to introduce yourself?

Mr Jobling: Yes. First of all, thank you so much, Hannah and Katrina, for the opportunity to speak with you. I am delighted to have a chance to share my perspective. Obviously, I’m new this year to Island School but I’m very excited, like everybody, to move back to Borrett Road, and to work with the students to make it and the transition as good as it is possible. 

Katrina: Thank you. Great, so now let us start with our first question. As you have mentioned earlier, you are one of the newer teachers in Island School, so what is your first impression of Island School? Like did they make you feel like you’re in a really comfortable environment or anything like that?

Mr Jobling: That’s a great question. Before I even started, I felt very much a part of the community so all the teachers were really great in making me feel welcome and sharing information. And then as soon as I joined, I just found the energy of the students so positive and so happy. I guess my initial reaction was that I was just delighted to be here and get to know so many new people and to be so welcomed by everyone. 

Katrina: Yes, and we are also really glad to have you here with us today. 

Hannah: So that’s great to know. As the Vice Principal of Island School, what do you think is the Island School spirit? Like what’s your definition? 

Mr Jobling: It’s a great question. What I quite liked about this is, I don’t think it is that easy to define. I think it means something slightly different to different people. But there are certainly things that are really central to it. It’s about finding your passion, being positive and making contributions to the community, these would be things I certainly see. And that community being your house, I think that is definitely a part of it, the wider school, and also our community beyond the school. I think, for me, those are the things I see as being really crucial, and just being the best person you could be within that community. 

Katrina: So Let us start off with some more interesting questions. Was it your childhood dream to become an educational leader like you are right now, and what struggles did you have to overcome throughout the journey of becoming a vice principal?

Mr Jobling: So my childhood dream was definitely not to be a teacher. I would have said that is the one job I thought I wouldn’t do. My dream was to be a footballer. I love sports, I played lots of sports when I was young. That was definitely my dream. I kind of realised, when I got older, that wasn’t a realistic dream, but it’s still something I enjoy doing and I still play a little bit now. I think I decided I wanted to be a teacher after university. In university, I nearly went down a different path towards finance which was something I thought I might do. Probably the best decision I made was not to go straight into a job, I did a bit travelling after university. I did a ski season, and I had some time away. And that gave me space to think: what is it that I really enjoy? And for me, I really enjoy being around people, and getting to know people, and helping people. So, that was what drew me to being a teacher. I have not regretted that for a single moment. I had lots of challenges on the way. It’s a tough job, tests to resilience at times but it is a really rewarding job, so I’ve loved it. 

Hannah: That’s a really interesting insight. Since Citizenship is part of the 6 Competencies of the Island School Futures curriculum, we would like to ask what your definition of citizenship is, as both a vice principal and a history teacher?

Mr Jobling: Yes thanks, good question. I think it is recognising your place and your roles and your responsibilities as a citizen. And again, I like to think of it as starting off local, both your school and your community, then global as well. So, I really like the idea of global citizenship, and all of us looking for solutions to global problems. We might start small, start local with our local issues, for instance in school and in Hong Kong. But then being aware of how that fits in the global challenges and recognising how different people from different parts of the world will face those challenges too. As a history teacher, I am even more passionate about it, and we often see in history or we focus on the things that don’t go well, whether that leads to crisis or wars or conflicts. And so, for me I enjoy exploring those and for students to understand what has happened in the past so we can try to avoid those mistakes and not repeat history. 

Katrina: Yea, thank you for that amazing answer. So as you mentioned earlier, we know that one of your passions lies in soccer, history and in fact Mathematics as well, so do you think these are related to the term “citizenship” in any way? 

Mr Jobling: First of all, I think all your passions can relate to citizenship because that is a really good place to start. I don’t think anyone should feel like they have to go and do something. If you start from something that you are passionate about, that could grow. Whether it is football, and that something that can bring a community together, locally or globally, or a particular academic subject, I think everything can relate to ‘citizenship’. In my experience, I think the particular skills you get from History, not only is the knowledge from the past, it is more about the critical thinking skills you develop, so thinking in different perspectives and why things happen helps you in becoming a global citizen. And similar in Maths, I think Maths is really about problem solving, and I think that is what citizenship is about as well. So I think those things definitely connect to it, but I think anything that you’re interested in, you could relate to citizenship in a meaningful way. 

Hannah: Yes I definitely agree that passion can definitely connect largely to citizenship. So as you know hopefully, Island School has a very special learning environment where diversity thrives, in what ways do you think “diversity” is personally connected to you and leadership?  

Mr Jobling: Oh what a great question. I think if I start with the leadership first, I think any effective team or effective group must be diverse. Not just in terms of the type of people who they are and the background of people, but in a way we think. So thinking as a leader, I always surround myself with people who have diverse perspectives, different ways of thinking. It’s really dangerous if we just surround ourselves with the people who think the same as us. We don’t really intend to solve any problems that way. Certainly as a leader, that’s why I think diversity is so important. As a school leader, it is also important to recognise that people have these different perspectives and different views, and try to accommodate those as much as we can, and make sure that everyone feels included within the community. I think that is another huge thing as an educational leader. Just from a more personal note, I guess I have lots of friends and my wife. My wife is from a refugee background. Initially when she was young, she overcame lots of challenges through her education, and moving to work, she is now a really successful lawyer. I have a lot of admiration for people who can overcome those challenges, and certainly it is not to suggest that anyone needs help but I think an appreciation of how it is more challenging for people from different backgrounds is important. Obviously, I’m from the UK, I’m a white male, I have a lot of privilege. I think it is important to acknowledge that, and then really make sure that there is a level of inclusivity for people in all different backgrounds. 

Katrina: I also agree with what you said on how diversity is actually an important aspect, no matter where you are, whether in the workplace, in school etc. Adding on to that previous question, how would you approach the notion of understanding co-workers from different backgrounds? 

Mr Jobling: I think the most important thing is to form a personal relationship and get to know people. It is not just the jobs that someone got to do, but actually prioritising where their experiences (lie), where they are coming from, what are the challenges they have in and outside of work? So I think developing that personal relationship gives you a foundation in which you can get the best out of people, and understand their challenges, and provide support that they need. 

Hannah: As we are getting into our penultimate question. As a school leader, what do you think Island School should and could do in the next couple of years to transform into a fully inclusive and diverse environment which recognizes the identity of each and every one of us?

Mr Jobling: Great question. I think probably the most important thing is to think how our leadership structure can enable that. So moving away from the traditional model of someone at the top and then making the decisions, for it to be a much more distributed leadership, which includes people, all the different stakeholders in the school. So I think this is something we do pretty well at Island School, and it’s definitely something we want to continue to improve, so engage our student leaders, first and foremost. That student voice really does shape the things we do at school, so it is not me or Mr Loggie or anyone else who is making decisions but we’re informed that we support the decisions our student leaders make. And similarly, involving our parents, and I think that is such an important perspective. If we understand our students, we understand our parents, we are at a really good place. And then again, appreciating and giving a voice to our staff, because we have over 100 teachers who come from all different backgrounds, and those views are really important. So we’re trying to do this, and I think it is something we really need to keep an eye on it to make sure that is our approach in making decisions in the school. 

Katrina: Last but not least, we hope to deliver some positive messages to Island School and the wider community during these turbulent times. If there’s one piece of advice that you would like to tell students or just young people in general, what would it be? 

Mr Jobling: It’s a tough one. Something that is stuck with me, when I was about your age, about Year 10, I remember speaking to my Head of House. He said to me, “Mark, the person you will one day be, you are now becoming,” And I still remember him saying, ’cause it was that realisation of the things we do every day are what shapes our character. It is not like all of a sudden that we’re reliable, responsible, trustworthy, hard-working people. That is just built up over time, and that is how your character develops. So I think it’s as much as it is good to have a goal to aim towards and dreams to have, those are crucial. But it is really taking care of your character one day at a time, taking care of individuals, friends, supporting people on an individual basis. And all those things add up to making you the person you will be. 

Hannah: Thank you for your advice. Since our time is up, we would like to thank you, Mr Jobling, for giving us a wonderful insight and your positive messages and for coming today. 

Katrina: We are sure that you have inspired a lot of Island School students to strive to promote citizenship, and be the person they want to be. That brings us to the end of today’s interview. Once again, thank you for coming and we really appreciate it. 

Mr Jobling: Thank you, it’s been a pleasure. 

Hannah: Thank you Mr Jobling. 

The DIVE column, a collaboration with the Island School English Committee, is just one of many features in store for Island Currents this year. Stay tuned for more!

he used to tell her
life was a dance
all she needed was a partner
then the tune
to which she would dance
would begin
but she found her dancing shoes
would rub her ankles
leaving welts of blood
that made her slip
she found her limbs
too stiff
her flowing gowns
too financing
and although she really tried
she was never good at dancing

Artist Commentary:

I decided to create my artwork with a pink theme because pink symbolises women. I wanted to emphasize that women are strong. I used different shades of pink because there could be more contrast in my painting. I used the quote “Equality for everyone” because it is simple yet meaningful. Happy Island School Women’s Week!

	i.  seed, germinating
At five, they unfurled the cascading curls
fallen down to her thin shoulders, fastened
the ornate bow to her waist, strung bright pearls,
milky-white, to her dresses.

At seven, they thought 
her polymer clay:
ready to be moulded by hands
rough and calloused; the hands that belonged to 
he who gripped the rakes.

She was told to watch the dancing fingers of
her mother: threading yarn through 
needle-eye, sorting kitchen cabinets filled 
with rosemary, thyme, dill and 
paprika.

But at eleven, the laboratory was
her heaven. The clinking of bright glass
tubes, the stir of blue broths
the tongues of purple Bunsen
flames – they entranced
her, held
her captive. But her mother never
meddled with 
this kind 
of stuff.

When she turned twelve, she wished 
to stall womanhood.

	ii.  wilting
She: a fool.

Feet rooted on the raised podium
Flashes of blinding lights
Spirited whistles, hoots and hollers
It was a standing ovation

for 

   her?

She stood
with her high school diploma clutched in her
left hand, Science Excellence
Award in her right, and searched the masses
for the warmth, the pride that 
should be
splayed across their faces but

The only thing she saw 
was the white of her protruding knuckles
As a cyclone in her head 
swirled raged sputtered furiously 
And, like a broken record, those words 
were replayed again
and again;

Your hips have
bulged, chest
risen. 
Scorn sneers shrieks slaughter
Voices ringing deep and
raspy
You? Hands made
for scrubbing 
	floorboards
The kitchen is your 
	home, laboratory not
You are not

one of 
Us.

But in that moment, clutching her diploma and her
Science Award
the walls in her mind, made of 
unbendable glass,
shattered.

Turned eighteen, she
turned her back. 

	iii. revival
Nineteen and lost
and swaying and fraying
Desperately yearning for an anchor, like how a
closed canna flower would desperately yearn 
for water;

She: even without his presence,
diminished.

But she, grit building with a battle cry
reached for and sought, then grasped at and fought
      searched for; found comrades, risen-chested or not
	and proved that she, though voice high and light, though
	hips wide and hair longer, was 

Worthy.

Ledge; grasped 
anchor; in place

It was no longer ‘you’ and 
‘Us’
It was ‘we’.

	iv.  bloomed
Her fingers not only
	lather soap onto after-dinner plates	
	weave silk ribbons into her children’s plaits
	tend to the blossoms at the garden gates

Her fingers also
	clitter-clatter across computer keys
	grip HB pencils in scribble-spanned seas
	draw out her work in studying disease

Feet planted once again on the
raised
	podium. 
A cure for Alzheimer’s, audience 
amazed.
Yet mellowed, now thirty, she remained unfazed and undazed
while the air crackled
with a sea of vibrations

It was a standing ovation.