Strategies for HIV-to-HIV kidney transplants to increase organ donations
Official title: Strategies to promote HIV-to-HIV kidney transplantation through organ donation
Funded at University of Tennessee Knoxville · NIH-11599369 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at making HIV-to-HIV kidney transplantation more common to help people with HIV get transplants faster by boosting organ donation and changing practice.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tennessee Knoxville NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Knoxville, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $639,022 |
| NIH project number | 1R56DK149809-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11599369 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with HIV who have end-stage kidney disease and are potential transplant candidates
✕Less likely to help
Patients without end-stage kidney disease or without access to transplant centers may not benefit directly
What this research studies
If funded, researchers will examine policy, practice, and public awareness factors that influence HIV-positive people to donate or register as organ donors and how HIV-to-HIV kidney transplants can be more readily offered. The team will analyze regulatory barriers and real-world outcomes after recent changes, aiming to identify practical steps for transplant centers to adopt. The goal is to improve access to kidney transplantation for people with HIV while ensuring safe, effective use of donor organs. Participation may involve reviewing medical records, transplant data, and stakeholder input to inform implementation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could lead to more HIV-positive patients receiving kidney transplants and expand donor pools.
How similar studies have gone: Previous HIV-to-HIV transplant programs showed promising outcomes, but broad implementation remains a work in progress
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tennessee Knoxville
Knoxville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shelton, Brittany a — University of Tennessee Knoxville
- Study coordinator: Shelton, Brittany a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Biomarker-guided Immunosuppression in Kidney Transplant Patients
A multicenter study in kidney transplant recipients is testing whether a biomarker score from HLA-DR/DQ can guide changes in immunosuppression to reduce rejection risk and drug toxicity.
-
Helping the immune system accept a donated kidney in patients without prior sensitization
This project will try giving specially treated donor B cells alongside immune-sparing medicines to teach the immune systems of kidney transplant patients without prior antibodies to accept the new kidney.
-
Lowering donor-specific antibodies in sensitized kidney transplant patients
This project works to reduce harmful donor-specific antibodies in people who are sensitized and need a kidney transplant so their new organ lasts longer.
-
Reducing geographic disparities in kidney transplant access with AI and operations research
Aiming to use AI and operations research to make kidney transplant access more fair across different regions in the U.S.
-
Centralized patient coaching to boost live donor kidney transplantation
A US-wide program trains patients, caregivers, and their networks with coaching to help them pursue living donor kidney transplantation.
-
Missed Pediatric Priority in Kidney Transplantation
This research aims to improve outcomes for children with kidney disease by focusing on when and how kidney transplantation can best help young patients.
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.