James Shapiro

James Shapiro, MD was born in Leeds, England and obtained his medical degree at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. He is currently a Canadian Research Chair in transplantation and the Director of the Clinical Islet Transplant Program at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.

Shapiro is known for developing the Edmonton protocol, an islet transplantation technique which has allowed many severe diabetics to stop taking insulin entirely, although the duration of this insulin independence does vary. The Edmonton Protocol is considered a major advancement from earlier transplantation efforts, and has regenerated much interest and research into establishing islet transplantation as a regular treatment modality for diabetes. One of the key components included a successful cocktail of non-corticosteroid immunosuppresive drugs, necessary for the prevention of allogeneic graft rejection.

Shapiro has been awarded the Hunterian Medal from the Royal College of Surgeons of England, and the Gold Medal in Surgery from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.