Centralized patient coaching to boost live donor kidney transplantation
Official title: Effect of State-Wide Centralized Patient Coaching about Live Donor Kidney Transplantation
Funded at New York University School of Medicine · NIH-11433286 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A US-wide program trains patients, caregivers, and their networks with coaching to help them pursue living donor kidney transplantation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 2, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $877,742 |
| NIH project number | 1R01DK149150-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11433286 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with end-stage kidney disease and their caregivers or social networks who are candidates for kidney transplantation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not pursuing transplantation or not connected to a transplant center may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project builds on an existing live donor champion program to educate people affected by end-stage kidney disease about the benefits of living donation. It compares outcomes before and after implementing centralized coaching, including knowledge gains and donor referrals. The study adapts the coaching to virtual formats delivered by trained non-transplant staff in community settings to improve access. It also looks at real-world barriers like staffing, transportation, and scheduling to inform scalable implementation. The focus is on translating proven education into broader, timely access to living donor transplantation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could increase the number of patients eligible for and referred for living donor kidney transplantation, improving graft survival and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work showed increased donor referrals and knowledge after the coaching program, with ongoing challenges in staffing and logistics.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University School of Medicine
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Levan, Macey Leigh — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Levan, Macey Leigh
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.
-
Missed Pediatric Priority in Kidney Transplantation
This research aims to improve outcomes for children with kidney disease by focusing on when and how kidney transplantation can best help young patients.
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.