Lung Transplant: Tailored Ways to Prevent Rejection
Official title: Pathways Regulating Lung Transplant Tolerance
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11330429 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant explores why lung transplants fail after surgery and looks for lung-specific ways to prevent rejection with targeted treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | May 12, 2015 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,474,042 |
| NIH project number | 5P01AI116501-12 |
| Project ID | NIH-11330429 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who have received a lung transplant or are candidates for one, and may benefit from advances in graft protection.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without a lung transplant or those not considering transplant-related immune issues may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
If you or a loved one has had a lung transplant, this project aims to uncover the specific immune signals that cause rejection and how to protect the new lung. Researchers will use mouse models that closely mimic human lung transplantation and advanced imaging to watch immune cells in action. The work is organized into three projects focusing on T cell regulation, early and late inflammation, and imaging inflammatory circuits associated with chronic lung allograft dysfunction. The study is supported by a Microsurgery Core and an Administrative Core to advance targeted, lung-specific therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Potentially better long-term survival and function of transplanted lungs with therapies tailored to lung-specific immune responses.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research in organ transplantation shows promise when immune pathways are precisely targeted, supporting the potential for lung-specific gains.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kreisel, Daniel — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Kreisel, Daniel
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Exercise-based frailty program for people awaiting lung transplants
A tailored exercise and lifestyle program is being tested to reduce frailty and improve outcomes for people waiting for a lung transplant.
-
Understanding why a lung transplant sometimes fails early and how to tailor treatment
A study of people receiving lung transplants to find molecular differences that cause early graft failure and point to better, personalized therapies.
-
Targeting inflammation and alloimmunity in lung transplant recipients with clazakizumab
A study to see if blocking IL-6 with clazakizumab can improve survival and reduce rejection in people who have received a lung transplant.
-
Vaccination responses in lung transplant patients
This grant studies how people who have received lung transplants respond to COVID-19 vaccines and why their antibody responses may be limited.
-
The Post-Lung Transplant Aging in Immune Cells in Donor Lungs
This grant explores how aging donor lungs affect lung transplant outcomes by studying immune cells called alveolar macrophages.
-
Predictors of Lung Transplant Success and Costs
This study looks at what pre-transplant patient factors and biology predict a smooth recovery and lower costs after lung transplant.
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.