At-home guided exercise program for people awaiting a kidney transplant
Virtually Supervised Exercise for Kidney Transplant Candidates
A home-based, video-supervised exercise program to help people waiting for a kidney transplant stay stronger and more mobile.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Palo Alto Veterans Instit for Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Palo Alto, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11167635 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be offered a home exercise program delivered by live video where an instructor guides your sessions, checks your form, and keeps you accountable. The program includes tailored strength and balance exercises, scheduled remote coaching sessions, activity tracking, and reminders to help you stick with it. Periodic physical tests and short questionnaires would measure your walking, balance, and daily function over time. The team will compare this virtual-supervision approach with usual care or less-supervised home programs to see which helps people remain fit while waiting and recover better after transplant.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults listed for kidney transplant (including those on dialysis) who are medically cleared to exercise and can use video/phone technology are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who are medically unstable, cannot safely perform physical activity, or lack access to or ability to use remote video technology may not benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help people waiting for a kidney transplant maintain or rebuild strength and mobility, potentially improving recovery after transplant and avoiding waitlist removal.
How similar studies have performed: Supervised exercise programs have previously improved strength and function but prior home-based programs often had low adherence, making virtual supervision a promising but still emerging approach.
Where this research is happening
Palo Alto, United States
- Palo Alto Veterans Instit for Research — Palo Alto, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liu, Christine Kee — Palo Alto Veterans Instit for Research
- Study coordinator: Liu, Christine Kee
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.