Making and testing immune tools to find transplant-related antibodies

Core C: Immuno-Reagent Production, Validation, and Biophysical Analysis Core

['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · NIH-11332851

This project develops and validates lab tools to find donor-specific antibodies and the B cells that can cause organ rejection in transplant patients.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_OTHER']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorUNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM (nih funded)
Locations1 site (BIRMINGHAM, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11332851 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

This core makes and validates reagents that bind specific donor HLA proteins so clinicians and researchers can find the exact antibodies and B cells involved in rejection. The reagents are used to pull antigen-specific B cells from blood or tissue, clone their antibody genes, and measure how strongly antibodies bind donor proteins. Those data support linked projects that follow transplant patients over time to see how memory B cells and antibody-secreting cells change after transplant. The aim is to provide reliable tests and materials that help teams identify and study the immune cells driving antibody-mediated rejection.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People who have had or are planning to have an organ transplant—especially kidney transplant recipients with new or suspected donor-specific HLA antibodies—are the most relevant candidates.

Not a fit: People without organ transplants or whose transplant problems are not caused by donor-specific antibodies are unlikely to benefit directly from this core's work.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, these tools could enable earlier and more precise detection of harmful donor-specific antibodies and guide targeted treatments to prevent graft loss.

How similar studies have performed: Related approaches for detecting donor-specific antibodies and characterizing B cells have shown promise, and this core aims to standardize and expand those methods.

Where this research is happening

BIRMINGHAM, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.