News and Events

We are pleased to share the publication of a new review article in Medicina  exploring vascularised composite allotransplantation (VCA)  and its emerging role in reconstructive surgery and solid organ transplantation. The paper highlights how abdominal wall transplantation has informed the development of the sentinel skin flap concept , where a small donor skin flap may allow earlier and more accessible detection of transplant rejection. This work provides important academic

We are pleased to share that the SENTINEL programme has received €5,000 in SPARK Seed Funding  to help develop a 3D skin education model  for transplant patients. As part of the SENTINEL study, a small patch of donor skin is transplanted alongside an organ. This skin can show early signs of immune activity, which may help doctors monitor rejection. During our work with patients, many asked a simple question: “What will it look like on me?”  At present, most information is giv

4 December 2025 – Belfast, Northern Ireland Prof Róisín Dolan delivered an invited talk at the BAPRAS Congress in Belfast in December titled “Innovation at the Interface: Nurturing Clinician–Scientists in Plastic Surgery.” Her presentation explored how plastic surgery can continue to lead medical innovation by investing in clinician–scientists who bridge surgical practice and research. The talk highlighted the importance of supportive systems, interdisciplinary partnerships,

16 November 2025 – San Diego, USA Omar, a post-graduate research student with the SENTINEL team, presented a poster on the SENTINEL Skin Flap patient acceptability study at the International Transplant Science Meeting in San Diego. The poster showcased early findings on how transplant patients view the proposed skin flap and highlighted the importance of patient input in developing future monitoring strategies. The International Transplant Science Meeting brings together glo

15 November 2025 – London, UK Omar, a post-graduate research student with the SENTINEL team, delivered an oral presentation on the SENTINEL Skin Flap patient acceptability study at the Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (APRAS) meeting at the Royal Society of Medicine in Marylebone. The talk outlined patient perspectives on the proposed skin flap and highlighted how acceptability findings can guide future clinical pathways. The APRAS Meeting at the

14 November 2025 – Dublin, Ireland Dr. Cian Hehir, a post-graduate researcher with the Sentinel team, presented an oral talk at the Millin Meeting on the development of a wearable 3D Sentinel Skin Flap model aimed at improving patient education, understanding, and informed consent processes. The wearable model, developed in collaboration with medical engineers, mimics normal and rejection-like SSF appearances, helping patients identify early signs of rejection in the communit

This Irish Medical Journal  editorial outlines the Human Tissue Bill and its implications for organ and tissue donation in Ireland. Although published prior to the Sentinel Study, it provides important legal and ethical context for contemporary transplant research. 🔗 Read the full article (PDF)