Advanced imaging to make more donor lungs usable
Using Advanced Imaging to Improve Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion
This project will use advanced imaging during lung preservation to find signs of healthy or damaged donor lungs so more lungs can be made available for people waiting for transplants.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11193992 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project aims to build an imaging-compatible ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) system that can take detailed structural, functional, and metabolic measurements of donor lungs while they are preserved outside the body. Researchers will collect biomarkers from lungs during EVLP to better describe tissue health and injury. They will use those biomarkers to guide and optimize EVLP settings and reconditioning steps to try to rescue lungs that would otherwise be labeled as marginal. The work is pre-clinical but is designed to translate into clinical EVLP programs that treat donor lungs for transplant patients.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People on the lung transplant waiting list and patients who could receive reconditioned donor lungs are the main groups who could benefit.
Not a fit: Patients without end-stage lung disease or those not eligible for transplantation are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could increase the number of donor lungs safe for transplant, shortening wait times and saving lives.
How similar studies have performed: EVLP has already been used clinically to revive some marginal lungs in hundreds of transplants, but combining it with advanced imaging biomarkers is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rizi, Rahim R — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Rizi, Rahim R
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.