On Aug. 20, 2007, researchers from Stanford University announced they had identified a pattern of gene expression shared by transplant patients who are able to stay healthy without anti-rejection drugs.

The findings suggested that transplant recipients who share the same pattern of genes but are still on conventional medication may be able to reduce or eliminate their lifelong dependence on immunosuppressive drugs.

The study may also help physicians determine how best to induce acceptance, or tolerance, of donor organs in all transplant patients, regardless of their gene expression profiles. The study findings were published in the advance the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences