Sending anti-rejection medicine directly to blood vessels in transplanted lungs
Official title: Targeted delivery of immunosuppressive agents to the graft endothelium forthe prevention of rejection in lung transplantation
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11136558 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests tiny drug carriers that deliver anti-rejection medicine straight to the blood vessels of transplanted lungs to help people who receive lung transplants.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $434,685 |
| NIH project number | 5U01AI170075-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11136558 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People receiving a lung transplant—especially those getting lungs from brain-dead donors or judged to be at higher risk for rejection—would be the primary candidates for this approach.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not undergoing lung transplantation or whose rejection is driven by mechanisms unrelated to graft endothelial adhesion molecules are unlikely to benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers are creating nanoparticle agents that bind adhesion molecules on the blood vessels of a lung graft and release immunosuppressive drugs right at the transplant site. They will study how donor brain death and the transplant process raise these adhesion molecules and drive inflammation, using lab assays, donor lung tissue, and preclinical models to measure effects. The team will track drug delivery, bioavailability, binding to VCAM-1/ICAM-1, and whether this reduces immune activation in the graft. The goal is to develop a targeted approach that could move toward testing in people who receive lung transplants.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could better protect transplanted lungs from rejection while lowering the need for high-dose systemic immunosuppression and its side effects.
How similar studies have gone: Related targeted-delivery strategies have shown promise in laboratory and animal work, but applying them specifically to lung graft endothelium is a newer, less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Atkinson, Carl — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Atkinson, Carl
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Phase 1 trial of siltuximab for antibody-mediated rejection after lung transplant
A early-stage study tests whether siltuximab can help people who have antibody-mediated rejection after lung transplantation.
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Targeted delivery of immune-suppressing agents to the lung graft to prevent rejection
A study at Northwestern University will test a new, targeted approach to prevent lung transplant rejection by delivering immune-suppressing drugs directly to the graft while blocking early signals that trigger rejection.
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Siltuximab for antibody-mediated rejection after lung transplant
This trial gives siltuximab to people with antibody-mediated rejection after a lung transplant to try to control the immune response harming the new lung.
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Role of plasma cells in chronic rejection after lung transplantation
This research looks at how certain immune cells called plasma cells may drive chronic rejection in people who have had lung transplants and how this could lead to new ways to protect the transplant.
-
Non-invasive infection detection after lung transplant
A non-invasive blood test using phage-based signals could help doctors detect lung infections early in people who have had a lung transplant.
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Investigating the role of plasma cells in lung transplant rejection
This study is looking at how certain immune cells, called plasma cells, might play a role in lung transplant rejection, especially for patients dealing with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome, and it hopes to find new ways to help improve the success of lung transplants.
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.