From Kottayam, Keralam, to the UK, Agimol Pradeep has spent 25 years building a career in nursing, with much of her work focused on organ transplantation and stem-cell donation. In 2026, the Indian-origin nurse was named the winner of the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award, which carries a $250,000 prize.
From nursing to transplant research
Agimol began her career after completing nursing training at CSI Hospital in Bengaluru and later moved to the UK. In 2001, she started working as a transplant nurse at a Manchester hospital. She went on to pursue higher qualifications while balancing work and family responsibilities.
Her work in transplant care led her to investigate why some Asian patients in the UK waited longer for suitable transplant matches. Her research found that tissue-type compatibility plays an important role and that patients from minority communities can face challenges because donor pools may not adequately represent their backgrounds.
Agimol subsequently completed a part-time PhD in three years and began focusing on community-based approaches to organ and stem-cell donation.
Building trust around donation
In 2014, her research and community work contributed to the creation of Upahaar, an organisation promoting deceased organ and stem-cell donation.
A major part of its work has involved addressing misconceptions around stem-cell donation. Agimol says some communities continue to associate the process with older bone-marrow donation methods, while modern collection techniques can involve a process similar to blood donation.
Upahaar developed a network of around 100 volunteers and, according to Agimol, has registered approximately 10,000 potential donors.
The organisation also works with religious and community leaders to answer questions about donation from different cultural and faith perspectives. This approach has helped create spaces where families can discuss donation and understand the registration process.
A career shaped by advocacy
Agimol is currently a Senior Transplant Coordinator at King’s College Hospital and an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Salford.
She believes nursing has expanded beyond traditional bedside care, with opportunities now available in research, education, advocacy, leadership and advanced clinical practice.
Agimol also highlights the global nursing workforce challenge. She points to World Health Organization projections of a potential shortage of around 40 million nurses by 2030 and says greater awareness of nursing as a profession will be important in attracting future healthcare workers.
For her, the profession remains closely connected to its impact on patients and families.
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