NEW YORK UNIVERSITY GROSSMAN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE​

From delays to discards: documenting novel approaches to increasing kidney transplants

As soon as a donated kidney is recovered, the race begins to find an appropriate recipient for the kidney, because transplant outcomes degrade as the organ waits on ice. Anecdotally, transplant providers report that they frequently decline kidney offers because too much time has accumulated before the kidney reached them in the allocation sequence, causing usable kidneys to be discarded. Using previously unavailable timing data, the Grantee will discover how many more kidneys might be transplantable and will test whether certain changes to allocation policy could rescue these kidneys.

Principal Investigator: Sommer Gentry, PhD
Awarded: March 2022
Duration: 24 months
Amount of Award: $150,000

ICHAN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI​

Understanding the immune and epithelial landscape of a novel human tracheal transplantation

The Grantee achieved a scientific breakthrough when they performed the first human tracheal transplantation. Evaluation of the human transplanted trachea demonstrated that the donor epithelium of the graft was replaced with the recipient epithelium. The project objective is to determine if re-epithelialization of the tracheal allograft with recipient-derived epithelium decreases the immunogenicity of the graft and provides an opportunity to de-escalate or mitigate systemic immunosuppression. The objectives will encourage direct clinical translation.

Principal Investigator: Eric Genden, MD
Awarded: March 2022
Duration: 24 months
Awarded: $149,930

THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SYSTEM​

A Functional NK Cell Assay to Assess Antibody-Dependent and -Independent Allogeneic Stimuli

Kidney transplant patients are routinely screened for HLA antibodies both to determine compatibility with potential donors and to help diagnose antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) after transplant. However, HLA antibodies explain little more than half of ABMR cases. The Grantee’s previous research found that activated natural killer cells are often present in ABMR biopsies regardless of the presence or absence of antibodies to donor HLA. This project aims to develop and validate a novel laboratory test for activated natural killer cells that can cause ABMR in concert with and independent of HLA antibodies.

Principal Investigator: Luis G. Hidalgo, PhD, F(ACHI)
Awarded: September 28
Duration: 12 months
Awarded: $150,000​

THE HOSPITAL FOR SICK CHILDREN (CANADA)

iParent2Parent Peer Support Program in Pediatric Solid Organ Transplantation: A Feasibility Study

Parents who care for a child with a chronic illness often experience more stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression compared to parents of children without a chronic illness. The iParent2Parent (iP2P) program is a virtual peer mentorship program that will offer support to parents of pediatric solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. This study aims to (1) determine the feasibility of the iP2P program for parents of SOT recipients, and (2) explore the preliminary effectiveness of the program. The iP2P program is targeted at improving the long-term health outcomes for both parents and patients.

Principal Investigator: Samantha Anthony, PhD
Awarded: September 28
Duration: 12 months
Amount of Award: $50,000