Antibodies to chemically modified proteins that may harm kidney transplants
Official title: Antibody responses to chemical adducts in human kidney allograft rejection
Funded at Columbia University Health Sciences · NIH-11250026 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether certain antibodies that bind chemically changed proteins are linked to rejection in people who have had a kidney transplant.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 26, 2016 |
| Project end | November 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $526,322 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI123342-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11250026 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people who have received a kidney transplant and can provide blood (and when applicable, biopsy material) for research, especially those being monitored for or suspected of antibody-mediated rejection.
✕Less likely to help
People without a kidney transplant or those whose graft problems are clearly due to non-immune causes are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
What this research studies
If I have a kidney transplant, this work checks my blood and tissue samples for antibodies that react to chemically modified self-proteins and other non-HLA targets. Researchers use standardized Luminex tests and additional laboratory binding and functional assays to measure many autoantibody responses, including natural antibodies. They compare antibody patterns from patients with rejection to those with stable graft function and link findings to biopsy signs like capillaritis and complement activation. The team aims to identify which antibody signals are consistently harmful and could guide future prediction or treatment of rejection.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors detect and target harmful antibody responses earlier, potentially protecting transplanted kidneys and prolonging graft survival.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked non-HLA autoantibodies to rejection but results have been inconsistent, so this project builds on prior work while aiming to clarify which antibody findings are reproducible and functionally important.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia University Health Sciences
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zorn, Emmanuel — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Zorn, Emmanuel
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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.