Project Grant R01DK143287

Grant Award Summary

New York University School of Medicine received a $847,495 Project Grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847), awarded on February 19, 2026, with completion targeted for November 30, 2030. This research initiative addresses the critical national problem of kidney non-utilization by developing and evaluating a stratified kidney allocation system designed to increase organ utilization, reduce transplant wait times, and improve outcomes for kidney transplant candidates. The project will produce expert consensus recommendations on the system's design parameters, including criteria for categorizing kidney quality levels and donor-recipient matching protocols.

The deliverables include quantitative impact analyses and projections to inform policymaker decision-making regarding stratified allocation implementation, as well as comprehensive investigation of patient, care partner, and healthcare provider attitudes, perceptions, and acceptability regarding shared decision-making in kidney offer acceptance processes. By addressing current gaps in understanding how candidates would respond to obligatory but modifiable choices between accepting superior kidneys after longer waits versus non-ideal kidneys sooner, this research aims to generate evidence-based guidance for a potential policy reform that could mitigate the documented shortage of transplanted kidneys while improving clinical and equity outcomes across patient populations.