Inducing tolerance to transplanted hearts using donor thymus tissue
Official title: Tolerance to Allogeneic Hearts via Implantation of Cultured Donor Thymus
Funded at Duke University · NIH-11018676 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is exploring a new way to help heart transplant patients by using special tissue from donors to help their bodies accept the new heart without needing strong medications that can cause side effects, and if it works well in animals, it could eventually help people too!
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | November 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $725,892 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL176571-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11018676 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals who are receiving a heart transplant from a donor and are at risk of rejection due to their immune response.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not candidates for heart transplantation or those with incompatible donor-recipient pairs may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates a novel approach to improve outcomes for patients receiving heart transplants by using cultured donor thymus tissue. The goal is to induce tolerance to the transplanted heart, which could reduce or eliminate the need for lifelong immunosuppression, thereby minimizing the risk of infections and organ failure. The research will first assess the safety and effectiveness of this method in a large animal model before moving to human clinical trials. If successful, this approach could lead to significant advancements in heart transplantation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve the survival rates and quality of life for heart transplant recipients by reducing the need for immunosuppressive medications.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown promising results in using cultured thymus tissue to induce tolerance in animal models, suggesting potential for success in this novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Turek, Joseph — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Turek, Joseph
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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.