Understanding Kidney Transplant Health for African American Donors and Recipients

13/14 APOL1 Long-term Kidney Transplantation Outcomes Network (APOLLO) Clinical Center

NIH-funded research Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-11137827

This project looks at a specific gene in African American kidney donors and recipients to better understand how it affects transplant success and donor health.

Quick facts

Grant typeU01 cooperative agreement
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionWake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Winston-Salem, United States)
Project IDNIH-11137827 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This project is part of a larger national effort called APOLLO, which aims to improve kidney transplant outcomes. We are looking closely at specific gene variations, called APOL1 risk variants, in African American kidney donors and recipients. Our goal is to understand how these gene variations affect how long transplanted kidneys function and the long-term health of living kidney donors. By gathering this information, we hope to improve the matching process for donor kidneys and provide better guidance for both donors and recipients, ultimately leading to more successful transplants.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research would include African American individuals who are either kidney transplant recipients or living kidney donors.

Not a fit: Patients who are not of African American ancestry or who are not involved in kidney transplantation as a donor or recipient may not directly benefit from this specific research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better matching of donor kidneys, longer-lasting transplants, and improved health for African American kidney donors and recipients.

How similar studies have performed: Previous retrospective studies have suggested a link between APOL1 gene variants and kidney transplant outcomes, and this project aims to prospectively confirm and expand upon those findings.

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.
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 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.