Using RNA to help immune cells support healthy blood vessel function
Official title: Immune cell skewing with RNA target site oligonucleotides to promote vascular smooth muscle cell homeostasis
Funded at Yale University · NIH-10738797 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how we can change certain immune cells to help keep blood vessels healthy after organ transplants, which could lead to better outcomes for patients receiving these transplants.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | November 10, 2022 |
| Project end | October 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $209,375 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AI168968-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10738797 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals undergoing solid organ transplantation who are at risk for chronic allograft rejection.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not undergoing organ transplantation or those with existing severe vascular complications may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how specific immune cells, known as regulatory T cells (Tregs), can be modified to promote the health of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in blood vessels after organ transplants. By enhancing the way these Tregs communicate with VSMCs, the study aims to prevent the harmful changes that can occur in blood vessels following immune injury. The researchers will identify and expand Tregs that produce beneficial factors for VSMC health, using advanced techniques to analyze their secreted products. This approach could lead to new therapies that improve the success of organ transplants by maintaining healthy blood vessel function.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved outcomes for organ transplant patients by preventing blood vessel damage and enhancing graft survival.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of modifying Treg function is promising, it is still largely exploratory and has not been extensively tested in similar contexts.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bender, Jeffrey R. — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Bender, Jeffrey R.
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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.