The National Institutes of Health has awarded UVA School of Medicine researchers more than $8.6 million in federal grants to support efforts that could not only dramatically increase the number of lungs available for transplant, but also improve the chance of survival for lung transplant patients. Victor E. Laubach, PhD, Irving Kron, MD, and their colleagues are leading the way with cutting-edge projects that aim to:
- Increase the number of lungs available for transplant using a technique known as “ex vivo lung perfusion” (EVLP).
- Detect post-transplant complications much sooner by harnessing the power of molecular imaging to rapidly detect ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury after lung transplantation.
- Gain a better understanding of what causes IR injury.
- Prevent IR injury in transplant patients using a drug already in clinical use.
- Prevent lung rejection utilizing mechanisms that would eliminate the need for immunosuppression after lung transplants.