Understanding African American Donor Kidneys for Better Transplants

Trans-omics Analysis of African American Deceased Donor Kidneys for Transplant Outcomes.

['FUNDING_R01'] · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · NIH-11176080

This research aims to understand why some transplanted kidneys from African American donors with a specific gene variant fail faster, to help more people get successful kidney transplants.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorWAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES (nih funded)
Locations1 site (WINSTON-SALEM, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11176080 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

Many African Americans carry a gene variant called APOL1 that can lead to kidney disease and sometimes cause transplanted kidneys to fail sooner. However, not everyone with this variant develops severe problems, suggesting other factors are at play. This project looks closely at kidneys from African American donors to find these additional factors. By studying the genes and other biological markers in these kidneys, we hope to identify which donor kidneys are truly at higher risk and which ones are likely to do well. This knowledge could help doctors make better decisions about using these valuable donor kidneys.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This research focuses on understanding donor kidneys and transplant outcomes for African American recipients, so future benefits would apply to African American individuals needing or receiving kidney transplants.

Not a fit: Patients who are not African American or who do not have the APOL1 gene variant may not directly benefit from the specific findings of this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better ways to decide which donor kidneys are safe to use, potentially increasing the number of successful kidney transplants for African American patients and reducing health disparities.

How similar studies have performed: This project is an ancillary study to the existing national APOLLO network, which is already collecting data on APOL1 gene effects on transplant outcomes, building upon a foundation of ongoing research.

Where this research is happening

WINSTON-SALEM, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.