Immunogenomic clues from donor lungs to predict transplant outcomes
Official title: Immunogenomic analysis of donor lung injury and its impact on clinical outcomes after lung transplantation
Funded at Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NIH-11367445 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how injuries in donor lungs may affect how well a lung transplant works for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | July 10, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $472,092 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL160551-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11367445 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Lung transplant recipients and donor lung samples from patients/clinical settings where donor injury may be relevant.
✕Less likely to help
People awaiting transplantation or without exposure to donor lung injury signatures may see no direct benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will study subclinical injuries in donor lungs and how they trigger inflammation after transplant, with a focus on donor-derived cell-free DNA as a biomarker. They will use immunogenomic analyses and lung injury models to understand how these signals lead to complications like chronic lung allograft dysfunction. The goal is to identify early markers and mechanisms that predict poor outcomes so clinicians can tailor care for transplant recipients. This work could eventually help improve survival and long-term function of transplanted lungs for patients in need.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could enable earlier detection of injury and inform better management to improve transplant survival and lung function.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has linked donor-derived cfDNA to lung allograft injury, supporting potential payoff for this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shaver, Ciara M — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Shaver, Ciara M
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-
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Targeted delivery of immune-suppressing agents to the lung graft to prevent rejection
A study at Northwestern University will test a new, targeted approach to prevent lung transplant rejection by delivering immune-suppressing drugs directly to the graft while blocking early signals that trigger rejection.
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.