Virtually Supervised Exercise for Kidney Transplant Candidates
Funded at Palo Alto Veterans Instit for Research · NIH-11401349 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A home-based, online-guided exercise program helps people waiting for a kidney transplant stay stronger and fitter.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Palo Alto Veterans Instit for Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Palo Alto, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $590,344 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK133509-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11401349 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with end-stage kidney disease who are actively listed or in waitlist status for kidney transplantation and have access to home-based exercise and virtual supervision.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are unable to engage in physical activity due to medical contraindications or lack of internet/technology access may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to deliver a remotely supervised exercise program to adults awaiting kidney transplants, with a focus on improving walking speed, balance, and the ability to rise from a chair. The intervention is designed to fit busy dialysis schedules by using home-based workouts guided by an instructor via virtual sessions. By keeping candidates more physically capable, the research hopes to reduce post-transplant complications and shorten time on the waitlist. The study will pay particular attention to diverse populations who are disproportionately affected by kidney disease. The investigators will monitor adherence, safety, and functional outcomes throughout the waiting period.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients awaiting kidney transplants could maintain better physical function, potentially improving post-transplant recovery and overall outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Prior home-based programs showed promise but struggled with adherence; this study adds virtual supervision to boost adherence.
Where this research is happening
-
Palo Alto Veterans Instit for Research
Palo Alto, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liu, Christine Kee — Palo Alto Veterans Instit for Research
- Study coordinator: Liu, Christine Kee
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Microbial clues to diagnose and predict infections in kidney transplant patients
A patient-focused project will look for microbial biomarkers in stool, blood, and urine to help doctors predict and diagnose infections in people who have had a kidney transplant.
-
Immunological mechanisms behind treatment-resistant kidney transplant rejection
This grant explores why certain kidney transplant rejections don’t respond to standard treatments and what immune cells in the graft are driving that resistance.
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Complement-Bound Exosomes and Kidney Transplant Immunity
This project studies how kidney transplant injury and rejection happen after surgery and whether blocking certain immune pathways during organ preservation could improve transplant outcomes.
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Blood vessel signals predicting heart problems after kidney transplant
This project studies blood markers and tissue patterns after kidney transplants to identify which patients are at highest risk of cardiovascular problems.
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Understanding how BK virus links infection to kidney transplant rejection
This project looks at how BK polyomavirus reactivation affects kidney transplant patients and aims to use pre-transplant T cell information to tailor immunosuppression and monitoring.
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Characterization of a LILRB3 SNP cluster and its link to kidney transplant outcomes
A study in kidney transplant recipients looks at genetic factors that may be tied to higher risk of graft failure.
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.