APOLLO: Understanding APOL1 in Black Americans and Kidney Transplants
Official title: Long-term Kidney Transplantation Outcomes Network (APOLLO) Clinical Center
Funded at Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NIH-11372937 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how APOL1 gene variants affect kidney disease risk and transplant outcomes in Black Americans.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | September 25, 2017 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $137,381 |
| NIH project number | 5U01DK116093-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11372937 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults of African ancestry undergoing evaluation for kidney disease or kidney transplantation, and living or deceased kidney donors with known APOL1 status.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without African ancestry or without APOL1 risk variants may see little to no direct benefit.
What this research studies
This effort studies how genetic risk factors common in people of African ancestry influence kidney disease and the results of kidney transplants. It will examine donor and recipient APOL1 variants to understand whether these variants change graft survival or post-donation kidney health. The study will use clinical data from Vanderbilt University Medical Center to explore these relationships and identify potential guidance for donor screening and patient care. The goal is to inform safer, more equitable transplantation practices and improve long-term outcomes for affected patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to more personalized transplant decisions and better long-term kidney outcomes for Black Americans.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has linked APOL1 risk variants to kidney disease risk and some early transplant findings, but robust, definitive guidance remains ongoing.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Birdwell, Kelly a — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Birdwell, Kelly a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Strategies for HIV-to-HIV kidney transplants to increase organ donations
This project looks at making HIV-to-HIV kidney transplantation more common to help people with HIV get transplants faster by boosting organ donation and changing practice.
-
Biomarker-guided Immunosuppression in Kidney Transplant Patients
A multicenter study in kidney transplant recipients is testing whether a biomarker score from HLA-DR/DQ can guide changes in immunosuppression to reduce rejection risk and drug toxicity.
-
Helping the immune system accept a donated kidney in patients without prior sensitization
This project will try giving specially treated donor B cells alongside immune-sparing medicines to teach the immune systems of kidney transplant patients without prior antibodies to accept the new kidney.
-
Lowering donor-specific antibodies in sensitized kidney transplant patients
This project works to reduce harmful donor-specific antibodies in people who are sensitized and need a kidney transplant so their new organ lasts longer.
-
Reducing geographic disparities in kidney transplant access with AI and operations research
Aiming to use AI and operations research to make kidney transplant access more fair across different regions in the U.S.
-
Centralized patient coaching to boost live donor kidney transplantation
A US-wide program trains patients, caregivers, and their networks with coaching to help them pursue living donor kidney transplantation.
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.