Surgery-related causes of early lung transplant injury linked to cell-free hemoglobin
Peri-operative factors that drive cell-free hemoglobin-mediated primary graft dysfunction
This project looks at how cell-free hemoglobin released around the time of lung transplant harms donor lungs and who is most at risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11145854 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You or your donor's blood and lung samples will be tested for cell-free hemoglobin before, during, and after lung transplant to see if higher levels link to early graft injury. The team will compare patients who develop primary graft dysfunction with those who do not to find patterns that predict risk. They will also use donated human lungs on a perfusion machine to directly watch how cell-free hemoglobin damages the lung barrier and alters fluid clearance. The researchers will study how surgical factors such as cardiopulmonary bypass change cell-free hemoglobin exposure and worsen injury to identify ways to protect transplanted lungs.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults involved in lung transplantation care, including transplant recipients and donor lungs evaluated or treated at participating transplant centers.
Not a fit: People who are not undergoing lung transplantation or whose lung problems are caused by unrelated conditions may not directly benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help prevent early graft failure and improve short- and long-term outcomes after lung transplant.
How similar studies have performed: Prior pilot clinical and ex vivo lung perfusion studies support a harmful role for cell-free hemoglobin in lung injury, but translating that into protective therapies is an early and developing area.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shaver, Ciara M — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Shaver, Ciara M
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 below.