Boosting immune regulation to prevent organ transplant rejection
Promoting and Visualizing Immune Regulation in Transplantation
['FUNDING_U01'] · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · NIH-11307167
The project blocks innate immune memory to strengthen regulatory immune cells and help organ transplant recipients avoid chronic rejection.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_U01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11307167 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
From a patient view, the team is working to stop a form of immune 'memory' that keeps the body in a state of chronic inflammation after an organ transplant. They will use genetic tools and new inhibitors in laboratory models and human tissue or blood samples to see if this increases myeloid regulatory cells and regulatory T cells inside transplanted organs. The researchers will track graft health and immune function to determine whether these changes protect the transplant. If promising, this could point to treatments that better prevent long-term rejection while supporting immune tolerance.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people who have received or are scheduled to receive an allogeneic organ transplant and who are willing to donate blood or tissue samples for research.
Not a fit: Patients receiving autologous transplants or those with non-immune causes of graft failure may be unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to therapies that reduce chronic transplant rejection and lower the need for lifelong broad immunosuppression.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal and early translational studies suggest targeting innate immunity and boosting regulatory T cells can protect grafts, but combined approaches in humans are still relatively new.
Where this research is happening
PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH — PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: CAMIRAND, GEOFFREY — UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- Study coordinator: CAMIRAND, GEOFFREY
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.