Improving Liver Transplant Outcomes by Understanding Immune Responses

Innate-Adaptive Immunoregulation in Liver Transplant Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury

NIH-funded research University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11176154

This project aims to understand how the body's immune system reacts during liver transplantation to help prevent complications and improve patient recovery.

Quick facts

Grant typeP01 program project
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of California Los Angeles NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Los Angeles, United States)
Project IDNIH-11176154 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

When a new liver is transplanted, it can experience damage from a process called ischemia and reperfusion injury, which happens when blood flow returns to the organ. This damage can lead to serious problems like the new liver not working well or being rejected by the body. Our team is looking closely at how the immune system contributes to this injury in human liver transplant patients. By identifying specific immune signals and cell behaviors, we hope to find new ways to protect the transplanted liver. This understanding could lead to better treatments and longer-lasting liver transplants for patients.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Patients undergoing liver transplantation who experience or are at risk for ischemia and reperfusion injury would be the primary beneficiaries of this research.

Not a fit: Patients not undergoing liver transplantation or those with other types of organ transplants may not directly benefit from this specific research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments that reduce complications after liver transplantation, improving the health and longevity of transplanted organs.

How similar studies have performed: While previous studies in animal models have shown the immune system's role in liver injury, this project seeks to confirm and expand these findings specifically in human liver transplantation.

Where this research is happening

Los Angeles, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.