Optimizing Lung Transplant Benefit with Advanced Simulation
Official title: Optimizing Lung Transplant Benefit Using Agent-Based Simulation Modeling Approaches
Funded at Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru · NIH-11373529 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A lung transplant grant using computer-based simulations to improve how organs are allocated to patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2020 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $696,929 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL153175-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11373529 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with end-stage lung disease who are candidates for transplant and clinicians involved in allocation decisions.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not currently on the transplant waitlist or not affected by allocation policy changes may see little direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project uses sophisticated simulation models to understand how different lung allocation strategies affect donor availability, candidates, and recipients. It builds on previous work to capture the evolving state of end-stage lung disease and to test how switching to the Composite Allocation Score could change outcomes. The goal is to balance fairness with maximizing overall transplant success, informing policy decisions that could help more patients benefit from transplants.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could lead to fairer and more efficient lung transplants, potentially saving more lives.
How similar studies have gone: Similar simulation-based policy analyses have informed allocation decisions in other organ transplant systems with meaningful impact.
Where this research is happening
-
Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Valapour, Maryam — Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru
- Study coordinator: Valapour, Maryam
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Exercise-based frailty program for people awaiting lung transplants
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-
Understanding why a lung transplant sometimes fails early and how to tailor treatment
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-
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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.