Medical Advances
Transplant Immunology Research
Emory is at the forefront of transplant immunology research. Our physicians are investigating new drugs that can establish true immune tolerance with fewer toxic side effects (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, kidney toxicity and diabetes) than traditional immunosuppressants.
Identifying Patients at High Risk for Complications
Researchers at Emory studying lung transplantation have identified a marker of inflammation that may help predict primary graft dysfunction (PGD), an often fatal complication following a lung transplant. "PGD is a severe lung injury appearing just a few days after transplantation," says study author and Emory transplant physician Andres Pelaez. "Unfortunately, predicting which lung transplant recipients go on to develop PGD has been so far unsuccessful. Therefore, our research has been directed towards identifying predictive markers in the donor lungs prior to transplantation."
Levels of a certain protein may predict which lungs develop early complications after transplantation, the authors found. The odds of developing severe PGD were higher as the levels of the protein increased.
Emory researchers are also investigating the causes of obliterative bronchiolitis (OB), a serious complication that can limit long-term survival after lung transplant. Researchers hope to gain new insights into the mechanisms of lung chronic rejection and ultimately develop new, more effective tools for the treatment of OB.
