The awarded research investigates metabolic organ quality during ischemia and the impact of different machine perfusion strategies using NAD/NADH redox profiling, a technically demanding area that has long lacked reliable measurement tools. This phase is critical in transplantation, where determining whether an organ is viable can directly impact patient outcomes. The findings are expected to improve how transplant teams assess organ viability and contribute to the development of more effective assessment methods in transplant medicine.

“We are grateful to receive this support from NADMED, which enables us to further expand the scope of our organ viability testing from mitochondrial complex I injury (assessed through flavin mononucleotide [FMN]) to complex I function, both key drivers of ischemia–reperfusion injury and critical determinants of transplant outcomes,” says Dr. Keyue Sun, project lead.

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NADMED launches USD 30,000 award

The company has announced the launch of the NADMED Award 2026, a global initiative designed to empower scientific discovery in redox biology and accelerate innovation across medicine, life sciences, and biotechnology.

The newly assembled Scientific Advisory Board

The newly assembled Scientific Advisory Board served as the scientific jury that evaluated and selected the winning project, assessing proposals based on scientific merit, clinical relevance, and the potential to advance understanding of redox biology in real-world settings. The board is led by Professor Charles Brenner (City of Hope), Professor Rita Horvath (University of Cambridge), and Dr. Helen Messier (Bioscope.ai).

“The winning proposal stood out for its strong scientific foundation, clinical relevance, and translational potential,” the jury commented. “Its approach to identifying NAD/NADH patterns for organ assessment shows clear potential to improve decision-making in transplantation.”

A growing interest in translating advances in redox biology into clinical applications

The selection of the Cleveland Clinic project highlights growing interest in translating advances in redox biology into clinical applications, particularly in organ preservation, where metabolic processes directly affect outcomes.

The NADMED Award was created to support precisely this type of work: research that not only advances scientific understanding but also has the potential to improve patient outcomes.

The global market for metabolomics and redox-metabolite diagnostics is projected to grow from around USD 4.3 billion in 2025 to USD 14.4 billion by 2034.

“We wanted to ensure that the projects we support are selected and guided by the leading experts in the field,” says Jari Närhi, CEO of NADMED. “By combining scientific leadership with targeted support for research, we can help accelerate the translation of redox biology into clinical practice.”