Project Grant R01DK141374

The federal Project Grant award R01DK141374, totaling $545,999.00, was provided by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847). The grant aims to determine the mechanisms by which two key proteins, AXL and AIF-1, regulate the function of monocytes and macrophages in kidney transplant recipients. Specifically, the project will investigate how AXL influences early post-transplant alloimmunity, and how AIF-1 impacts the maladaptive response of macrophages to injuries and allograft fibrosis in the late post-transplant period. The goal is to identify new targets for modulating macrophage functions to enhance kidney allograft survival and reduce the need for re-transplantation. This research will be conducted by a team of investigators from Duke University, with the Principal Investigator leading the immunological studies in murine kidney transplant models and the Co-Investigator directing the studies on post-kidney transplant injuries and long-term allograft outcomes.