Liver transplant immune regulation to reduce injuries after surgery
Official title: Innate-Adaptive Immunoregulation in Liver Transplant Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11375154 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research program at a major university is trying to improve how donated livers respond to transplantation by balancing donor and patient immune signals to lessen injury and inflammation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2017 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,939,440 |
| NIH project number | 5P01AI120944-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11375154 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults undergoing liver transplantation or receiving discarded (untransplantable) livers that might be used after optimization.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not undergoing liver transplantation or those whose condition is not related to ischemia-reperfusion injury may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at how immune signals from the donor liver and the recipient interact during and after liver transplant to cause or reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury. Researchers will study a molecular checkpoint called CC1 and how different forms of this protein in donor livers and recipient immune cells can protect the liver and promote healing. The work includes testing in models and analyzing human liver tissue to identify strategies that rejuvenate marginal livers and reduce chronic inflammation that leads to rejection. The team aims to develop approaches that could make more livers usable and improve transplant outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could improve liver graft function and long-term survival after transplantation, potentially expanding the donor pool.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that immune regulation plays a key role in transplant outcomes, with ongoing exploration of CC1-related pathways as a promising avenue.
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.