Using technology to help young transplant recipients take their medications regularly
Official title: Leveraging Technology to Improve Medication Adherence in Adolescent and Young Adult Kidney or Liver Transplant Recipients
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11103311 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is all about helping young people who have had kidney or liver transplants remember to take their medications by using smart pillboxes that track when they take their meds, so they can get support right when they need it to stay healthy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2021 |
| Project end | May 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $171,056 |
| NIH project number | 5K23DK128573-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11103311 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adolescents and young adults who have undergone kidney or liver transplantation and struggle with medication adherence.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not transplant recipients or those who are already consistently adherent to their medication regimen may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on improving medication adherence among adolescents and young adults who have received kidney or liver transplants. It aims to develop and validate a new tool that uses real-time data from electronic pillboxes to monitor medication intake and identify patients at risk of organ rejection. By employing a mobile health approach, the study will provide personalized interventions at critical moments when patients may need support to take their medications. This innovative method seeks to enhance adherence and ultimately improve health outcomes for these young patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce the rates of organ rejection and improve the long-term health of young transplant recipients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using technology for medication adherence, but this specific approach utilizing real-time data and just-in-time interventions is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Eaton, Cyd Kumiko — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Eaton, Cyd Kumiko
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Improving medication adherence in adolescents after liver transplant
This study is all about helping teenagers who have had a liver transplant remember to take their important medicine to keep their new liver healthy, using friendly phone calls and video chats to support them along the way.
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Innate and Adaptive Immunoregulation in Liver Transplant Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury
A liver transplant-focused project investigates how the body’s early and later immune responses affect transplant failure or success after reperfusion.
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Biomarker-guided reduction of immunosuppression after liver transplant
A multicenter trial tests whether using blood biomarkers to guide tapering of immunosuppression in adults with liver transplants can keep people healthy while lowering drug exposure.
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Understanding how liver disease progresses in people waiting for a liver transplant
A study will build a knowledge base that maps how liver disease worsens over time in patients on the transplant waitlist to improve care and planning.
-
Biomarkers to tailor liver transplant immunosuppression
A multi-center study using blood biomarkers to guide how immunosuppressive drugs are given to liver transplant patients.
-
Pre-Transplant Immune Health Marker Panel to Predict Liver Transplant Outcomes
A patient-facing biomarker test used before liver transplant to help doctors estimate the risk of early death after the transplant.
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.