Helping immune recovery after bone marrow (stem cell) transplant
Promoting T cell reconstitution after hematopoietic cell transplantation
This project develops ways to speed T cell recovery for people who have had hematopoietic stem cell (bone marrow) transplants.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11245761 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are studying how the thymus — the organ that makes T cells — repairs itself after the damage caused by cancer treatments and transplant conditioning. They focus on two natural repair signals, IL-22 from innate lymphoid cells and BMP4 from endothelial (blood vessel) cells, and how different types of cell death change those repair signals. Using laboratory models and relevant patient-derived samples, the team will test approaches to boost these repair pathways so thymic epithelial cells can better produce new T cells. The aim is to shorten the prolonged period of low T cells after transplant and reduce infection and immune-complication risks.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people who have received or will receive allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and face prolonged T cell lymphopenia.
Not a fit: People without recent stem cell transplants or whose immune problems are unrelated to thymic damage are unlikely to see direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could speed immune recovery after stem cell transplants, lowering infection risk and improving outcomes for transplant recipients.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical work has shown that IL-22 and BMP4 can support thymic repair, but translating these mechanisms into therapies for patients is still largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dudakov, Jarrod — Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Study coordinator: Dudakov, Jarrod
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.