Noninvasive imaging to assess kidney transplant health
Official title: Noninvasive assessment of renal fibrosis in kidney transplant recipients bymulti-contrast magnetic resonance imaging
Funded at Hugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger · NIH-11054751 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new MRI method to help doctors check for kidney scarring in people who have had a kidney transplant, so they can monitor kidney health without needing to do any painful biopsies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2025 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $90,000 |
| NIH project number | 1K99DK138294-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11054751 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals who have received a kidney transplant and are at risk for chronic allograft dysfunction.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not undergone kidney transplantation or those with acute kidney issues unrelated to transplant may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique to noninvasively assess renal fibrosis in kidney transplant recipients. By combining diffusion-weighted imaging with magnetization transfer contrast, the study aims to enhance the detection of fibrosis without the need for invasive kidney biopsies. The approach also includes analyzing blood flow and microstructural integrity within the kidney, which could provide a comprehensive view of transplant health. This method could lead to better monitoring of kidney function over time, ultimately improving patient care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide a safer and more effective way to monitor kidney transplant health, potentially reducing the need for invasive procedures.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in using advanced MRI techniques for assessing organ health, suggesting that this approach could be effective.
Where this research is happening
-
Hugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stabinska, Julia — Hugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger
- Study coordinator: Stabinska, Julia
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Microbial clues to diagnose and predict infections in kidney transplant patients
A patient-focused project will look for microbial biomarkers in stool, blood, and urine to help doctors predict and diagnose infections in people who have had a kidney transplant.
-
Immunological mechanisms behind treatment-resistant kidney transplant rejection
This grant explores why certain kidney transplant rejections don’t respond to standard treatments and what immune cells in the graft are driving that resistance.
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Complement-Bound Exosomes and Kidney Transplant Immunity
This project studies how kidney transplant injury and rejection happen after surgery and whether blocking certain immune pathways during organ preservation could improve transplant outcomes.
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Blood vessel signals predicting heart problems after kidney transplant
This project studies blood markers and tissue patterns after kidney transplants to identify which patients are at highest risk of cardiovascular problems.
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Understanding how BK virus links infection to kidney transplant rejection
This project looks at how BK polyomavirus reactivation affects kidney transplant patients and aims to use pre-transplant T cell information to tailor immunosuppression and monitoring.
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Characterization of a LILRB3 SNP cluster and its link to kidney transplant outcomes
A study in kidney transplant recipients looks at genetic factors that may be tied to higher risk of graft failure.
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.