How stress and social factors affect kids' outcomes after stem cell (bone marrow) transplants
Socioeconomic and adversity-associated immunobiologic influences on pediatric hematopoietic cell transplant outcomes
This project looks at whether a child's and their donor's life stress and social conditions change immune signals and health after stem cell transplants for children with high‑risk blood cancers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11362394 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If your child is having an allogeneic stem cell (bone marrow) transplant, the team would collect information about family socioeconomic factors and take blood samples from your child and their donor to measure stress‑related immune signals and markers of biological aging. Researchers will compare these immune and aging markers with medical outcomes after transplant, like infections, complications, and survival, using follow‑up visits and medical records. The work builds on findings in adults showing a link between social adversity, a stress‑related gene expression pattern called CTRA, and transplant outcomes, but applies these measures specifically to children. Participation would involve sample collection around the time of transplant and continued medical follow‑up.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell (stem cell/bone marrow) transplantation for high‑risk blood cancers, along with their donors, are the ideal candidates for participation.
Not a fit: People who are not receiving allogeneic HCT, those treated entirely outside participating centers, or those unable to provide donor or recipient samples may not get direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help identify children at higher risk after transplant and guide donor selection or supportive care to improve outcomes.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research in adult HCT patients found links between social adversity, CTRA gene expression, and outcomes, but applying these measures to pediatric transplant patients is new.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Turcotte, Lucie Marie — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Turcotte, Lucie Marie
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.