Award
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 5U01AI126322-12
Strategies to Optimize Pig-to-Primate Kidney Xenograft Survival
Recipient
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
Award Amount
$1,541,316.00
Ceiling
$1,541,316.00
Awarded
July 22, 2026
Identifier
5U01AI126322-12
The award funds research on improving pig-to-primate kidney xenograft survival through advanced genetic engineering and immunosuppressive strategies to overcome immunologic barriers, aiming to address organ donor shortages and enhance transplant success.
Description
This project proposes using genome engineering to create novel pig donors and immunosuppressive strategies to prevent rejection in order to overcome immunologic barriers for clinical application of xenotransplantation. The research focuses on addressing early and late kidney xenograft failure, genetic engineering to remove xenoantigens, testing strategies to control immune response, use of genetically modified pigs, evaluation of SLA class II knockouts, and targeting antibody-producing cells with therapies including anti-CD19 antibodies and CAR T cells. The goal is to address the critical shortage of donor organs and improve the success of xenotransplantation, potentially saving many lives.