Helping the immune system learn tolerance for transplants, autoimmune disease, and allergies
Official title: Immune Tolerance Network
Funded at Benaroya Research Inst at Virginia Mason · NIH-11270634 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program develops and tests treatments that teach the immune system to accept transplants and reduce autoimmune attacks and allergic reactions for people with those conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Benaroya Research Inst at Virginia Mason NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2014 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $28,549,844 |
| NIH project number | 5UM1AI109565-13 |
| Project ID | NIH-11270634 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with organ transplants, autoimmune diseases, or significant allergies who meet a specific trial's inclusion criteria and can provide samples and attend follow-up visits.
✕Less likely to help
People without immune-mediated conditions or whose specific disease is not targeted by an active ITN trial are unlikely to benefit directly from this program.
What this research studies
You would be part of a national network that runs clinical trials across transplantation, autoimmune diseases, and allergies while collecting blood and tissue samples for lab analysis. Participating centers work together to try different tolerance-promoting therapies and monitor how immune cells and genes change over time. The program combines clinical treatment, detailed immune monitoring, and data sharing to speed promising approaches toward wider use. Many hospitals and investigators are involved so specific trials and eligibility vary by site and condition.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these approaches could reduce the need for lifelong immune-suppressing drugs, prevent autoimmune attacks, or lessen allergy symptoms.
How similar studies have gone: Some tolerance-focused approaches and early cell-therapy or biologic trials have shown promise, but many tolerance strategies remain experimental and need further testing.
Where this research is happening
-
Benaroya Research Inst at Virginia Mason
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Buckner, Jane Hoyt — Benaroya Research Inst at Virginia Mason
- Study coordinator: Buckner, Jane Hoyt
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Immune Tolerance Network (ITN) for immune tolerance therapies across autoimmune and allergic diseases
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A nationwide network tests new immune therapies to help people with autoimmune diseases, allergies, and transplant patients reach better control of their immune system.
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Immune tolerance research network for safer transplant and autoimmune therapies
A national effort tests new treatments that make the immune system tolerate transplanted organs and fight autoimmune and allergic diseases more safely.
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Immune Tolerance Network for allergy, autoimmunity, and transplantation
A large NIH program tests new immune-tolerance therapies to help people with autoimmune diseases, allergies, and transplant 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.