University of Birmingham (UK) (PI: Heather Long) $123,884.30

Project Title: Validating biomarkers for Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) after organ transplant

Project Description: Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) is a type of blood cancer that develops in transplant patients because the drugs used to prevent organ rejection weaken the immune system. There are no good clinical markers of early disease and patient survival is very poor. The Grantee has identified differences in the blood of organ transplant patients who have developed PTLD that could provide clinical markers for early identification and monitoring of at-risk organ transplant patients. The Grantee now aims to validate these findings using additional tests and samples from an independent group of patients.

University of Michigan (PI: Lonnie Shea) $150,000

Project Title: Biomaterial Implants for Early Detection of Transplant Vasculopathy with Minimal Invasiveness

Project Description: There is no assay to predict chronic graft rejection (i.e. vasculopathy); clinicians rely on graft biopsy and imaging, both of which identify late vasculopathy, only after extensive injury. Blood-based assays also measure lagging indicators of damage. The Grantee has developed a subcutaneous biomaterial implant (“scaffold”) that remotely collects immune cell biomarkers to identify pre-injury graft rejection and reduce biopsy need. In this work, the Grantee will develop scaffold implants that identify novel biomarkers of early transplant vasculopathy in rodent models to create a new therapeutic window. Identifying actionable biomarkers of and targets for vasculopathy is paramount so that clinicians can personalize immunotherapies and avoid graft loss.

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (PI: David Hildeman) $150,000

Project Title: From rejection to resolution – single cell multiomic analysis of kidney transplant rejection

Project Description: Transplanted organs are lost because recipients immune cells reject them. The Applicant’s data shows that the individual cells driving rejection persist despite treatment, can come back to cause rejection again, and can also be found in the urine. Using unique approaches to analyze individual cells, we will compare the cells in the kidney tissue to those found in the urine before, during and after anti-rejection therapy. Our overall goal is to define cells and molecules that could be measured in a non-invasive way to predict rejection as well as successful response to anti-rejection treatment.