Exosome patterns in lung transplant recipients and early graft injury risk
Official title: Lung transplant recipient exosome phenotypes and the risk of primary graft dysfunction and acute lung allograft dysfunction
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11170442 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at tiny particles called exosomes in people who had lung transplants to identify patterns that signal early graft injury like primary graft dysfunction or acute lung allograft dysfunction.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | August 5, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $433,531 |
| NIH project number | 5U01HL162966-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11170442 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults who have received a lung transplant (or are undergoing transplant follow-up) and can provide blood and possibly lung fluid samples for testing.
✕Less likely to help
People who have not had a lung transplant or who cannot provide the required samples are not likely to benefit directly from participation.
What this research studies
After lung transplant, researchers will collect blood and lung fluid samples from recipients at set time points. They will isolate and analyze exosomes — small vesicles released by cells — to profile their molecular contents and surface markers. Those exosome patterns will be compared between people who do and do not develop primary graft dysfunction (PGD) or acute lung allograft dysfunction (ALAD), and combined with clinical and donor data to build risk models. The work aims to clarify mechanisms of early graft injury and improve risk stratification during the early post-transplant period.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors identify transplant recipients at high risk for early graft problems so they can tailor monitoring and treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Early research suggests exosome-based biomarkers can reflect immune and injury processes, but using them to predict PGD or ALAD after lung transplant remains an emerging and unproven approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mulligan, Michael Scott — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Mulligan, Michael Scott
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Exercise-based frailty program for people awaiting lung transplants
A tailored exercise and lifestyle program is being tested to reduce frailty and improve outcomes for people waiting for a lung transplant.
-
Understanding why a lung transplant sometimes fails early and how to tailor treatment
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-
Targeting inflammation and alloimmunity in lung transplant recipients with clazakizumab
A study to see if blocking IL-6 with clazakizumab can improve survival and reduce rejection in people who have received a lung transplant.
-
Vaccination responses in lung transplant patients
This grant studies how people who have received lung transplants respond to COVID-19 vaccines and why their antibody responses may be limited.
-
The Post-Lung Transplant Aging in Immune Cells in Donor Lungs
This grant explores how aging donor lungs affect lung transplant outcomes by studying immune cells called alveolar macrophages.
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Predictors of Lung Transplant Success and Costs
This study looks at what pre-transplant patient factors and biology predict a smooth recovery and lower costs after lung transplant.
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.