Networks
Clinical Trials in Organ Transplantation in Children (CTOTC). CTOTC is a clinical trials program to improve graft acceptance and patient/graft survival in pediatric organ transplant recipients, i.e., children up to 20 years of age, who have undergone heart, lung, liver, kidney or intestinal transplantation.
Genomics of Transplantation Cooperative Research Program (GTCRP). The long-term goal of GTCRP is to understand the genetic basis of immune-mediated graft rejection and differences in transplant outcomes, and thereby provide a rational basis for the development of more effective treatment and prevention strategies to improve long-term graft survival and quality of life for transplant recipients.
Non-Human Primate Islet/Kidney Transplantation Tolerance. Funded by NIAID and NIDDK the goals of this program are to evaluate preclinical safety and efficacy of existing and newly developed candidate immune tolerance induction regimens; and elucidate the mechanisms underlying the induction, maintenance, and/or loss of tolerance in non-human primate models of transplantation.
Clinical Outcomes of Live Organ Donors. Funded by NIAID, NHLBI, and HRSA funded 3 clinical sites and a data coordinating center to undertake investigation of the medical and socioeconomic outcomes of individuals who donated a kidney or a lobe of lung for transplantation. The consortium met for their first steering committee meeting in late FY06 and are in the process of developing a research agenda and specific investigational protocols.
Hyperaccelerated Award/Mechanisms in Immunomodulation Trials. This program supports mechanistic studies in clinical trials of: (1) immunomodulatory interventions for immune system mediated diseases, including: asthma and allergic diseases; graft failure in solid organ, cell, tissue and stem cell transplantation; and chronic inflammatory, autoimmune, and immunodeficiency diseases; and (2) preventative and therapeutic vaccines for non-HIV/AIDS infectious diseases, including NIAID Category A, B, and C agents of bioterrorism and emerging/re-emerging infectious diseases. NIAID, NIAMS, NIDDK, and NINDS co-sponsor this program.
Immunobiology of Xenotransplanation Cooperative Research Program (IXCRP). This program is co-sponsored by NIAID and NIDDK. The goals of this program are to delineate the cellular and molecular mechanisms of xenograft rejection and the induction of tolerance and accommodation; to develop effective strategies to improve xenograft survival; and to characterize the physiological compatibility/limitations of xenografts. The long-term goal of the program is to develop novel and efficacious strategies for broad clinical applications.
HLA Region Genetics in Immune-Mediated Diseases. Co-sponsored with NINDS, the objectives of this cooperative group are to define the association between genes of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region, as well as Killer Immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genes, with a variety of clinical conditions including the outcome of bone marrow transplantation and the risk and severity of immune-mediated diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, myasthenia gravis, IgA deficiency, common variable immunodeficiency, systemic lupus erythematosus, Crohn’s disease, and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
Stem Cell Transplantation. NIAID is supporting three trials to evaluate autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for the treatment of scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematosus and multiple sclerosis, three autoimmune diseases. These complex trials will also include studies of the underlying immune mechanisms of these diseases and treatments.
Clinical Trials in Organ Transplantation (CTOT). NIAID, NHLBI, and NIDDK co-sponsor this cooperative, multi-site consortium to develop and implement interventional and observational clinical studies, accompanied by mechanistic studies, designed to enhance the understanding of and ultimately reduce the immune-mediated morbidity and mortality of organ transplantation. CTOT supports research to:
- Evaluate new therapeutic regimens to overcome immunologic barriers to graft acceptance and/or long-term graft and patient survival;
- Evaluate approaches to the treatment or prevention of immune-mediated complications of transplantation;
- Investigate the underlying mechanisms of action of the pathologic processes, agents or regimens under study; and
- Develop diagnostic tests for and/or surrogate biomarkers that will facilitate routine surveillance, early diagnosis, and ongoing monitoring of those processes that contribute to post-transplant morbidity and mortality.
Immune Tolerance Network. The Immune Tolerance Network (ITN), sponsored by NIAID and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF), is an international consortium of over 80 investigators in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia dedicated to the clinical evaluation of novel, tolerance-inducing therapies in autoimmune diseases, asthma and allergic diseases, and rejection of transplanted organs, tissues, and cells. The goal of these therapies is to “reeducate” the immune system to eliminate injurious immune responses and graft rejection while preserving protective immunity against infectious agents. To understand the underlying mechanisms of action of the candidate therapies and to monitor tolerance, the ITN has established state-of-the art core laboratory facilities to conduct integrated mechanistic studies, and to develop and evaluate markers and assays to measure the induction, maintenance, and loss of tolerance in humans.
Outcomes of Kidney and Liver Transplantation in HIV-positive (HIV+) patients. Although patients with HIV infection are at significant risk for end-stage organ disease, prior to the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), they were often not considered as transplant candidates based on poor prognosis. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of solid organ transplantation in HIV+ patients who undergo kidney or liver transplantation.
back to top