Keeping donated kidneys healthier longer with room-temperature oxygenated perfusion
Official title: Platform for Extended Kidney Preservation Via Subnormothermic Perfusion
Funded at Biomedinnovations, INC. · NIH-11195058 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests a device and special solution that keep donated kidneys at about room temperature with oxygen flowing through them so more high-risk organs might be usable for people needing transplants.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Biomedinnovations, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Denver, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,657,705 |
| NIH project number | 5R44DK139895-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11195058 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People on the kidney transplant waiting list or candidates preparing for transplant, especially those willing to consider higher-risk donor kidneys, are the intended beneficiaries.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not need a kidney transplant or those ineligible for transplant would not directly benefit from this preservation technology.
What this research studies
If I'm waiting for a kidney transplant, this project aims to reduce damage that happens while a donated kidney is stored and moved by using a machine that pumps oxygenated solution through the organ at 22–25°C. The approach pairs a perfusion device with a matched preservation solution developed by BioMedInnovations and the Duke Ex Vivo Organ Lab. In animal (porcine) pilot work, this method improved how kidneys worked after transplant compared with standard cold storage. The team plans to refine the platform so more older or circulatory-death donor kidneys can be preserved, tested, and accepted instead of discarded.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could increase the number of usable donor kidneys and improve early transplant function for people on the waiting list.
How similar studies have gone: Early animal studies showed better post-transplant kidney function versus standard cold storage, but broader human testing is still needed.
Where this research is happening
-
Biomedinnovations, INC.
Denver, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kopparthy, Varun Lingaiah — Biomedinnovations, INC.
- Study coordinator: Kopparthy, Varun Lingaiah
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.