APOL1 and Kidney Transplant Outcomes in African American Donors and Recipients
Official title: 14/14 APOL1 Long-term Kidney Transplantation Outcomes Network (APOLLO) Scientific Data Research Center
Funded at Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-11372853 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program studies how APOL1 gene variants in African American kidney donors and recipients affect long-term transplant success and kidney health after donation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | September 25, 2017 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,210,164 |
| NIH project number | 5U01DK116041-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11372853 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are African American adults involved in kidney transplantation or living donation, with consent to share genetic and health data.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not involved in kidney transplantation or living donation may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
APOLLO is a national effort that follows kidney transplant pairs over time to see how APOL1 gene variants in donors and recipients influence transplant survival and kidney function. The project collects genetic information and health data to understand which factors contribute to graft outcomes. It also monitors the health and kidney function of African American living donors after donation to ensure safety and well-being. Researchers use this data to improve donor-recipient matching and inform medical decisions about organ quality and donation safety. Participation involves clinicians and patients contributing health information over years of follow-up.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to better organ matching and safer living donation decisions for African American patients.
How similar studies have gone: Past observations show reduced allograft survival in some cases linked to APOL1; this study seeks to clarify and quantify those relationships.
Where this research is happening
-
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Freedman, Barry Ira — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Freedman, Barry Ira
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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.