How short telomeres affect immune health and outcomes after lung transplant
Official title: The Role of Telomeres in Lung Transplant Recipient Immunity and Outcomes
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11308303 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at whether short telomeres change immune defenses, make viral infections worse, or alter rejection and recovery for people getting lung transplants, especially those with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | March 5, 2023 |
| Project end | February 29, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $695,991 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL166265-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11308303 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People receiving lung transplants—especially those with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or known/possible short telomere syndromes—are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not lung transplant recipients or who do not have telomere-related problems are unlikely to get direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
If you take part, doctors will check your blood and lung samples for telomere-related gene changes and measure immune cells and viruses such as cytomegalovirus. They will collect bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and blood over time after transplant to study immune cell function, viral activity, and signs of rejection. Researchers will compare people with short telomeres to those without to find patterns that explain infection risk and rejection. The goal is to connect these biological findings to real clinical outcomes after transplant.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help tailor immunosuppression and infection monitoring to reduce rejection and improve survival after lung transplant.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked short telomeres to IPF and worse post-transplant outcomes, but applying these findings to explain immune dysfunction and rejection after lung transplant is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcdyer, John F — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Mcdyer, John F
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Exercise-based frailty program for people awaiting lung transplants
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-
Understanding why a lung transplant sometimes fails early and how to tailor treatment
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-
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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.
-
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.