About us

The Organ Donation and Transplant Research Centre (ODTRC) at the University of Bedfordshire, led by Professor Randhawa, a global leader in advancing evidence-based policy and research in organ donation and transplantation. With a distinguished history of impactful work dating back to 1999, the Centre has played a pivotal role in shaping evidence-informed policymaking both in the UK and internationally, including countries such as India, Qatar, Italy, and Canada.

Our work is driven by rigorous research, including PhD studies and a comprehensive portfolio of influential policy reports. We actively engage with the UK Parliament on critical policy issues and collaborate globally on research and policy development. Our impact is reflected in numerous publications, book chapters, conference presentations, awards, and meaningful community engagement initiatives.

At ODTRC, we are dedicated to combining academic excellence with real-world impact, establishing ourselves as a trusted authority in organ donation and transplantation policy advocacy.

Policy impact – Professor Gurch Randhawa, Director, ODTRC

• Chairman, Transplant 2020 Stakeholder Group – current
• National Member, National Black and Minority Ethnic Transplant Alliance - current
• Member, European Ethical, Legal and Psychosocial Aspect of Transplantation Platform (ELPAT) – Public Issues in Organ Donation & Transplantation – current
• Co-Chairman, European Ethical, Legal and Psychosocial Aspect of Transplantation Platform (ELPAT) – Public Issues in Organ Donation & Transplantation, 2007-2020
• National Member, Triennial Review of NHS Blood & Transplant, Department of Health Challenge Group, 2015-2016
• International Evaluator, Bi-ennial Review of Mohan Foundation, Tata Trust, 2015-2016
• Non-Executive Director, Human Tissue Authority, 2010-2014
• Non-Executive Director, UK Transplant, 2001-2005
• National member, Academy of Medical Royal Colleges’ UK Donation Ethics Committee, 2009-2015
• National Member, Evidence Update Group – Organ Donation, NICE, 2014-2016
• National advisory member, Minister of State for Health Services’ Commissioned - Organ Donation Taskforce, Department of Health, 2006-2008
• National advisory Chair, Minister of State for Health Services’ Commissioned - Organ Donation Taskforce, Department of Health, sub-group – Cultural issues and consent models, 2007-2008
• National Member, NICE Guidelines Development Group – Organ Donation, 2012-2014

Staff Members

• Professor Gurch Randhawa, Director, ODTRC
• Dr Chris Papadopoulos
• Dr Erica Cook
• Dr Britzer Paul Vincent Paul Raj

PhD Students

• Asmaa Abdulghani Examining Public and stakeholder views towards organ donation in Qatar

PhD Graduates

• Dr Britzer Paul Vincent Barriers and facilitators toward deceased organ donation among general public and stakeholders in India
• Dr Catrin Pedder Jones A general practice intervention targeting registration on the NHS Organ Donor Register
• Dr Chloe Sharp Examining relationships between deceased organ donation, gift exchange theory and religion: perspectives of Luton Polonia

Policy Reports

Recent Grants

• NHS Blood & Transplant – Community Engagement Fund on Organ Donation. £31,000. 2024. Vincent BP.
• NHS Blood & Transplant – Community Engagement Fund on Organ Donation. £ 10,000. 2023. Vincent BP.
• NHS Blood & Transplant – Role of GP practices in organ donor registration consent rates. £30,000 2016-19. C Papadopoulos & G Randhawa.
• Department of Health/Organ Donation Taskforce Implementation Group – What are the barriers to organ donation and the factors that affect the decision of the bereaved family to give consent? £182,240 2010-12. M Sque, M Morgan, G Randhawa & A Warrens.
• NHS National Institute for Health Research – Increasing the acceptability and rates of organ donation among ethnic groups. £731,741, 2009-2013. M Morgan, R Jones, M Sque, A Grieve, T Newton, B Farsides, G Randhawa, A MCguire, J Scoble, D Banerjee, C Rudge, P Weaver.
• Department of Health/Organ Donation Taskforce Implementation Group – Promoting an improved understanding of organ donation amongst the UK’s multi-ethnic and multi-faith population: The potential contribution of Faith and Belief Leaders. £130,000 2010-12. G Randhawa & Kulwinder Kaur-Bola
• NHS Blood & Transplant – A national study examining the reasons and circumstances in which individuals make gifts and donations and exploring the relevance to increasing organ donation among the UK's multi-ethnic and multi-faith community. £130,000, 2009-2011. G Randhawa.
• Department of Health/Organ Donation Taskforce Implementation Group – Engaging UK Faith Leaders with Organ Donation. £30,000. 2009. G Randhawa.

Book

• Randhawa G & Schicktanz S (Eds) (2013) Public Engagement in organ donation and transplantation. Pabst Science Publishers.

Recent papers

1. Weeks S, Fanstone JW, Marcu V, Barash B, Thompson C, Vincent BP. Barriers to conversations about deceased organ donation among adults living in the UK: a systematic review with narrative synthesis. BMJ Open. 2025;15(3):e091873. Published 2025 Mar 12. doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-091873
2. Vincent BP, Randhawa G, Cook E. A qualitative study exploring barriers and facilitators in deceased organ donation process among transplant coordinators in India. Sci Rep. 2024;14(1):28773. Published 2024 Nov 20. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-80290-9
3. Vincent BP, Sood V, Thanigachalam S, Cook E, Randhawa G. Barriers and Facilitators Towards Deceased Organ Donation: A Qualitative Study Among Three Major Religious Groups in Chandigarh, and Chennai, India. Journal of Religion and Health. 2024 Oct 6:1-20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-024-02148-8
4. Al-Abdulghani A, Vincent BP, Randhawa G, Cook E, Fadhil R. Barriers and facilitators of deceased organ donation among Muslims living globally: An integrative systematic review. Transplantation Reviews. 2024 Jul 31:100874. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trre.2024.100874
5. Vincent, B.P., 2023. Global experiences in gaining cooperation towards organ donation: a reply to ‘Nurturing, nudging and navigating the increasingly precarious nature of cooperation in public health: the cases of vaccination and organ donation’ by Heidi J. Larson and Alexander H. Toledo. Global Discourse, 1(aop), pp.1-6. https://doi.org/10.1332/204378923X16926827213302
6. Randhawa G (2023) Developing culturally competent approaches – a reply to ‘Nurturing, Nudging and Navigating the Increasingly Precarious Nature of Cooperation in Public Health: The cases of vaccination and organ donation’ by Larson H and Toledo A. Global Discourse. https://doi.org/10.1332/20437897Y2023D000000007
7. Martínez-López M, McLaughlin L., Molina-Pérez A, Pabisiak K, Primc N, Randhawa G, Rodriguez-Arias D, Suarez J, Wolke S, Delgado J (2023) Mapping trust relationships in organ donation and transplantation: a conceptual model. BMC Med Ethics 24, 93. https://doi.org/1186/s12910-023-00965-2
8. Al-Abdulghani A, Vincent BP, Randhawa G, Cook E, Fadhil R. Barriers and facilitators of deceased organ donation among Muslims living globally: protocol for an integrative systematic review using narrative synthesis. BMJ open. 2023 Apr 1;13(4):e069312. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-069312
9. Grossi A, Randhawa G, Jansen N, Paredes D (2023) Taking a ‘care pathway/whole systems’ approach to Equality Diversity Inclusion (EDI) in organ donation and transplantation in relation to the needs of ‘ethnic/racial/migrant’ minority communities: a statement and a call for action. Transplant International. 36:11310. https://doi.org/10.3389/ti.2023.11310
10. Pradeep A, Augustine T, Randhawa G, Ormandy P (2023) Examining the role of the Health Belief Model Framework in achieving diversity and equity in organ donation among south Asians in the United Kingdom. Transplant International. 36:11243. https://doi.org/10.3389/ti.2023.11243
11. Grossi A A, Paredes D, Palaniswamy V, Jansen N, Picozzi M, & Randhawa G (2023) ‘One size does not fit all’ in organ donation and transplantation: Targeting and tailoring communication for migrant and ethnic minority populations. Communication and Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1558/cam.21434
12. Vincent BP, Randhawa G, Cook E (2020) Barriers towards organ donor registration and consent among people of Indian origin living globally: a systematic review and integrative synthesis—protocol. BMJ Open. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035360
13. Jones C, Papadopoulos C, Asghar Z & Randhawa G (2020) Improving access to organ donor registration in general practice – A feasibility study. British Journal of General Practice. https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp20X709601
14. Aktas M, Randhawa G, Brierley J (2020) Children, organ donation and Islam: a report of an engagement day of Islamic Scholar, young Muslims and pediatric transplant and donation professionals. Pediatric Transplantation. Archives of Disease in Childhood. doi: 10.1111/petr.13677.
15. Pradeep A, Ormandy P, Augustine T, Randhawa G & Whitling M (2019) Attitudes and beliefs regarding organ donation among the South Asians in the UK. Journal of Kidney Care Link here
16. Pedder-Jones C, Papadopoulos C, Randhawa G (2019) Who's opting-in? A demographic analysis of the U.K. NHS Organ Donor Register. PLoS One. 2019 Jan 2;14(1):e0209161. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209161
17. Pedder-Jones C, Papadopoulos C, Randhawa G & Asghar Z (2018) Research protocol: general practice organ donation intervention—a feasibility study. (GPOD). Pilot and Feasibility Studies. 4:171 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-018-0362-9
18. Molina-Pérez A, Rodríguez-Arias D, Delgado-Rodríguez J, Morgan M, Frunza M, Randhawa G, Reiger-Van de Wijdeven J, Schiks E, Wöhlke S, Schicktanz S (2018) Public knowledge and attitudes towards consent policies for organ donation in Europe. A systematic review. Transplantation Reviews Link here
19. Sque M, Rodney A, Randhawa G, Walker W, Long-Sutehall T, Morgan M (2018) Bereaved donor families’ experiences of organ and tissue donation, and perceived influences on their decision making. Journal of Critical Care Link here
20. Pedder-Jones C, Papadopoulos C, Randhawa G (2017) Primary care interventions to encourage organ donation registration: a systematic review. Transplantation Reviews. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.trre.2017.08.006
21. Ibrahim M & Randhawa G (2017) Knowledge, attitude and behaviour of Nigerian students towards organ donation. Transplantation Proceedings. Link here
22. Randhawa G & Neuberger J (2016) The role of religion in organ donation - Development of the UK Faith and Organ Donation Action. Transplantation Proceedings. 48: 3, 689–694. doi:10.1016/j.transproceed.2015.10.074
23. Sharp C & Randhawa G (2016) The potential role of social capital in deceased organ donation: A case study of UK Polish migrants. Transplant Proceedings.48:3, 680-688.doi:10.1016/j.transproceed.2015.10.063
24. Sharp C & Randhawa G (2016) Death practices, attitudes toward the body after death and life after death in deceased organ donation: A UK Polish migrant perspective. Journal of Palliative Care and Medicine 6: 262. doi:10.4172/2165-7386.1000262
25. Rose C, Nickerson P, Delmonico F, Randhawa G, Gill J, Gill JS. (2015) Estimation of potential deceased donors in Canada. Transplantation.
26. Morgan M, Sims J, Jain N, Randhawa G, Sharma S & Modi K (2015) Inequalities in waiting times for kidney transplantation among Black and minority ethnic groups: causes and strategies. British Journal of Renal Medicine. 20(1):4-7.
27. Sharp C & Randhawa G (2014) UK Polish migrant attitudes toward deceased organ donation: Findings from a pilot study. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health. DOI 10.1007/s10903-014-0070-3
28. Sharp C & Randhawa G (2014) Altruism, gift giving and reciprocity in organ donation: A review of cultural perspectives and challenges of the concepts. Transplantation Reviews, 28, 163-8.
29. Sharp C & Randhawa G (2014) Organ donation as an ‘altruistic gift’: Incentives and reciprocity in deceased organ donation from a UK Polish migrant perspective. Annals of Transplantation. 19, 23-31.

Recent conference presentations

1. Vincent BP. (2025). Influence of distrust, mistrust, and miscommunication on cooperation toward deceased organ donation in India. European Society of Organ Transplantation. London, United Kingdom.
2. Vincent BP. (2025). influence of family dynamics in consent toward deceased organ donation in two diverse regions within India. European Society of Organ Transplantation. London, United Kingdom.
3. Vincent BP. (2025). Distrust, Mistrust, and Misinformation: Barriers to Deceased Organ Donation in India. The British Transplant Society. Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
4. Vincent BP. (2024). Research-based lessons: Barriers and Solutions to Deceased Organ Donation. Commonwealth Tribute to Life. United Kingdom. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTPlADM5eAU&t=748s
5. Vincent BP. (2024). Exploring institutional level barriers and facilitators in the process of deceased organ donation in India: A qualitative research using key-informant interviews. The Annual UAE Organ Donation and Transplantation Congress. Dubai. (Oral presentation).
6. Vincent BP. (2023). Barriers and facilitators toward deceased organ donation among the Indian population from two diverse regions in India. The British Transplant Society. Edinburgh. (Poster presentation).
7. Vincent BP. (2023). Barriers and facilitators toward the making of deceased organ donation from two diverse regions in India: A study among transplant coordinators. The British Transplant Society. Edinburgh. (Poster presentation).
8. Randhawa (2021) Journey of the body and soul: how different faiths have interacted with organ donation, BTS NHSBT Congress 2021, February (online due to COVID-19).
9. Randhawa (2020) Promoting access and equity in living organ donation – lessons from the UK. International Perspectives on Access & Equity in Living Organ Donation & Transplantation, Centre for Living Organ Donation, Toronto, September (online due to COVID-19).
10. Pedder Jones, Papadopoulos, Randhawa (2020) ‘Would you like to join the NHS Organ Donor Register?’ A general practice feasibility study. British Journal of General Practice Annual Conference, Royal College of General Practitioners, London, March.
11. Randhawa (2020) Public engagement with organ donation among multi-ethnic and multi-faith population – lessons from the UK. Faith, Ethics and Organ Donation, Wolff Institute, University of Cambridge, February.
12. Randhawa (2019) Does ethnicity play a role in being a donor or a recipient? Dutch Clinical Review Symposium. Utrecht, November.
13. Randhawa (2019) Increasing Donation from under-represented donors with an emphasis specifically on Black and Asian donors. 20^th European Day for Organ Donation & Transplantation. London, October.
14. Randhawa (2019) Tackling inequalities in organ donation in the UK – the role of public engagement. Islamic perspectives on organ donation after death. Al-Mahdi Institute, Birmingham, October.
15. Randhawa (2019) Developing a culturally competent approach to public engagement and organ donation – lessons from the United Kingdom. European Transcultural Nurses Association. Ceske Budejovice, June.
16. Randhawa (2019) Promoting organ donation in BAME groups in the UK. 5^th International Transplant Conference, University of Warwick, May.
17. Randhawa (2019) ‘They will finish me off before I am dead’ - challenges & opportunities in organ donation from a multi-ethnic and multi-faith UK population 5^th ELPAT Congress, Krakow, April.
18. Randhawa (2019) Organ donation from black and minority ethnic communities. Joint Annual British Transplant Society & NHS Blood and Transplant Congress, Harrogate, March.
19. Randhawa (2018) Is organ donation and transplantation a reality for everyone in an unequal world? Lessons from the UK. 11^th Annual Transplant Co-ordinators Conference. St John’s National Academy of Medical Sciences, Bangalore, December.
20. Randhawa (2018) Organ donation among multi-ethnic and multi-faith communities – lessons from the UK. 14^th Congress for the German Foundation for Organ Transplantation (DSO), Frankfurt, November.
21. Randhawa (2018) Inequalities in organ donation – developing an ongoing community dialogue – lessons from the UK. Religion and culture in Transplantation, Organisation of Catalonia for Transplants (OCATT), Palau Macaya, Barcelona, September.
22. Randhawa (2017) The challenge of globalisation and immigration for kidney care in the UK. British Renal Society Annual Conference, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, April.
23. Randhawa (2016) Communicating organ donation to different communities: “Impact of globalisation and immigration in Europe for organ donation – lessons from the UK”26^th European Dialysis and Transplant Co-ordinators Congress, Barcelona, Spain, October.
24. Randhawa (2015) Public engagement with organ donation – lessons from the UK. 24^th Annual meeting of the Deutsche Transplantationsgesellschaft (DTG), Dresden, Germany, October.
25. Randhawa (2015) Public engagement with organ donation – lessons from the UK. 8^th National Association of Transplant Co-ordinators Conference, Chennai, India, October.
26. Randhawa (2015) Faith engagement and organ donation action plan. Faith leaders summit, University of Derby, September.
27. Randhawa (2015) Gender and organ donation – a strategy to create a revolution in public behavior on organ donation. 14^th Congress of the Asian Society for Transplantation, Suntec City, Singapore, August.
28. Randhawa (2015) Increasing consent from ethnic minorities for deceased organ donation. 14^th Congress of the Asian Society for Transplantation, Suntec City, Singapore, August.
29. Randhawa (2015) Promoting conversations about organ donation in a multi-ethnic and multi-faith context. Faith and Organ Donation Conference, Beardmore Conference Centre, Clydebank, June.
30. Randhawa (2015) Communicating organ donation to different communities: “Impact of globalisation and immigration in Europe for organ donation – lessons from the UK”. 10^th Competent Authority Meeting on Organ Donation and Transplantation. European Commission, Brussels, March.
31. Randhawa (2015) Faith and organ donation. Evaluating faith-based responses to healthcare challenges. Faith Action, Royal Society of Arts, London, March.
32. Randhawa G (2014) Engaging UK Public with Organ Donation. South Buckinghamshire NHS Trust. September.
33. Randhawa G (2014) Impact of immigration in Europe and organ donation. Eurotransplant, Leiden, September.
34. Randhawa G (2014) Organ donation in diverse populations, learning from the UK. World Transplant Congress, San Francisco
35. Randhawa (2014) Organ donation Faith Action Plan. London Organ Donation Regional meeting. Guys Hospital, London, May.
36. Randhawa (2014) Organ donation in a multi-ethnic and multi-faith context. Put your faith in organ donation, Council Chambers, Birmingham, April.

Current Project

University secures NHS Blood and Transplant funding for community engagement on Organ Donation [2024-2026]

Luton and Bedford Blood and Organ Donation Project - NHSBT funded [2024-2026]

The University of Bedfordshire has received funding from NHS Blood and Transplant to develop and run a community organ donation campaign led by student ambassadors, transplant recipients and donors from different ethnic and faith communities, between September 2024 and August 2026. The two-year project, starting with an initial funding grant of £15,500 from NHS Blood & Transplant, will draw upon the University’s world-leading research which has previously found that tailored messaging and trusted messengers are essential to champion organ donation conversations across the UK.

Luton Lifelines Community Art Project - NHSBT funded [2024-2026]

The University is joining forces with Luton Council, Hospital Art Studio, to pioneer innovative approach and work with the diverse community in Luton in co-creating an art work on organ donation which will then be set up in a public space in Luton to encourage conversation on deceased organ donation in minority ethnic communities. You can watch a promotional video of this project on YouTube

Consultancy areas

We are frequently commissioned to organise stakeholder events involving diverse communities in the following areas:

• Organ donation policy
• Culturally competent strategies
• Religiously competent strategies
• Community engagement initiatives on organ donation
• Policy evaluation
• Research into policy challenges and public concerns regarding organ donation
• International engagement with various countries (recent collaborations include India, Qatar, Canada, and Italy)