Improving Organ Transplant Success by Boosting Natural Immune Control
Project 1: Augmenting Regulatory Mechanisms in Protocols of Transient Mixed Chimerism
['FUNDING_P01'] · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · NIH-11140415
This research explores new ways to help the body accept a transplanted organ without needing lifelong medications, focusing on heart transplants.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_P01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BOSTON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11140415 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Organ transplantation often requires patients to take strong medications for life to prevent their body from rejecting the new organ. These medications can have serious side effects. This project aims to find methods that allow the body to naturally accept a transplanted organ, a state called 'immune tolerance.' Researchers are particularly interested in understanding why some organs, like kidneys, are easier for the body to accept than others, like hearts. They are developing a new approach that combines a temporary bone marrow transplant with a kidney transplant to help the body's immune system learn to tolerate a new heart.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients considering or undergoing organ transplantation, especially heart transplantation, who wish to reduce or eliminate the need for lifelong immunosuppression, would be ideal candidates for future applications of this research.
Not a fit: Patients who are not candidates for organ transplantation or who are not seeking to alter their current immunosuppression regimen may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to organ transplant recipients no longer needing daily immunosuppressant drugs, significantly improving their long-term health and quality of life.
How similar studies have performed: Similar approaches have shown success in achieving tolerance for kidney transplants in both non-human primates and humans, but achieving tolerance for heart transplants is a novel and challenging area this project is addressing.
Where this research is happening
BOSTON, UNITED STATES
- MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL — BOSTON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: MADSEN, JOREN C — MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
- Study coordinator: MADSEN, JOREN C
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.