Designer regulatory immune cells and a targeted vaccine to prevent transplant rejection
Engineering synthetic cellular crosstalk for transplantation tolerance
Designer regulatory immune cells paired with a targeted vaccine aim to prevent chronic rejection in organ transplant patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Hosp of Philadelphia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11261254 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have an organ transplant, this project aims to create regulatory T cells engineered with chimeric antigen receptors (CAR Tregs) that recognize donor antigens and reduce immune attacks. The team will pair those cells with a vaccine that delivers the matching antigen to lymph node antigen-presenting cells so the engineered Tregs can find and 'crosstalk' with those cells. Most work will begin in the lab and in preclinical models to optimize the cells and vaccine for safety and effectiveness. The goal is to lay groundwork for later human trials that could test the approach in transplant recipients.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal future trial participants would be people who have received or are awaiting a solid organ transplant and are at risk for or experiencing chronic rejection.
Not a fit: People without organ transplants or whose rejection is driven primarily by infection or unrelated immune problems may not benefit from this targeted approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reduce or eliminate the need for lifelong broad immunosuppressive drugs and help transplanted organs last longer.
How similar studies have performed: Early laboratory and animal studies of CAR-regulatory T cells and targeted tolerance methods have shown promising results, but human clinical data remain limited.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- Children's Hosp of Philadelphia — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ma, Leyuan — Children's Hosp of Philadelphia
- Study coordinator: Ma, Leyuan
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.