Improving Donor Livers for Transplant Surgery
Official title: HuR/HIF – SIRT1 Signaling Axis in Liver Transplant Rejuvenation
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11086766 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at ways to make donor livers stronger and more resistant to damage, helping more people have successful liver transplants.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2003 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $461,163 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK062357-20 |
| Project ID | NIH-11086766 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research does not directly recruit patients, but future clinical applications would benefit patients needing liver transplants, especially those who might receive a "marginal" donor organ.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not in need of a liver transplant would not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Liver transplants are life-saving, but sometimes donor livers are not as strong as they could be, leading to complications after surgery. This project aims to "rejuvenate" donor livers, making them more resilient to the stress of transplantation. Researchers are exploring specific biological signals within liver cells and immune cells that can protect the organ from damage. The goal is to understand how to convert a vulnerable donor liver into one that is more robust and less likely to be rejected. This could lead to better outcomes for patients receiving a new liver.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more available donor livers and better, longer-lasting outcomes for patients receiving liver transplants.
How similar studies have gone: The concept of organ "rejuvenation" is being introduced as a novel approach, building upon existing knowledge of ischemia-reperfusion injury and molecular pathways.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kupiec-Weglinski, Jerzy W — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Kupiec-Weglinski, Jerzy W
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Innate and Adaptive Immunoregulation in Liver Transplant Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury
A liver transplant-focused project investigates how the body’s early and later immune responses affect transplant failure or success after reperfusion.
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Biomarker-guided reduction of immunosuppression after liver transplant
A multicenter trial tests whether using blood biomarkers to guide tapering of immunosuppression in adults with liver transplants can keep people healthy while lowering drug exposure.
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Understanding how liver disease progresses in people waiting for a liver transplant
A study will build a knowledge base that maps how liver disease worsens over time in patients on the transplant waitlist to improve care and planning.
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Biomarkers to tailor liver transplant immunosuppression
A multi-center study using blood biomarkers to guide how immunosuppressive drugs are given to liver transplant patients.
-
Pre-Transplant Immune Health Marker Panel to Predict Liver Transplant Outcomes
A patient-facing biomarker test used before liver transplant to help doctors estimate the risk of early death after the transplant.
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Thinking skills and self-care after a liver transplant
This project follows people who received liver transplants to learn how changes in thinking and memory affect managing medicines, clinic visits, and overall health.
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.