Clinical Research Directory

Immunological Reset to Enable Access to Hla-compatible Kidney Transplantation in Highly Sensitized Patients (RESET)

The purpose of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether a temporary reprogramming of the immune system can help highly sensitized (hyperimmunized) patients with end-stage kidney disease safely receive a compatible kidney transplant. Patients who are highly sensitized have developed an extremely high level of antibodies against human leukocyte antigens (HLA), often due to previous transplants, pregnancies, or blood transfusions. This condition makes it nearly impossible for them to find a compatible organ donor, leaving them stuck on dialysis indefinitely. This study tests an innovative strategy using Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (AHSCT). The procedure involves an intensive conditioning regimen using a combination of medications (cyclophosphamide, thymoglobulin, and rituximab) to deeply clear out the patient's existing mature immune cells. This is followed by the reinfusion of the patient's own previously collected and purified blood stem cells (CD34+ cells) to rebuild the immune system from scratch. The investigators hypothesize that this procedure will eliminate the "immunological memory" cells responsible for producing the problematic anti-HLA antibodies, resetting the immune system to a "naive" or inactive state. This immune reset is expected to eliminate or significantly lower circulating HLA antibodies, creating a critical window of opportunity for these patients to successfully receive a compatible kidney transplant from the deceased-donor waiting list.

Hemophilia A Research Program

This study longitudinally observes the intergenerational (mother-child) continuum in hemophilia A from pregnancy through early childhood. Because the study follows mother-child pairs, the study includes both a maternal cohort and a pediatric cohort. Each cohort has a primary goal: for the mother with a severe hemophilia genotype, the overarching primary goal is to understand the risks for pregnancy-associated bleeding and postpartum hemorrhage (PPH); for the child, the overarching primary goal is to understand the risks, timing, and circumstances of development of anti-FVIII antibodies. From a longitudinal perspective, risks for both bleeding in the mother and anti-FVIII antibody development in the child are expected to be influenced over time by genetic and environmental factors that begin early in (or before) pregnancy. Enrollment of blood relatives is offered to improve power to better understand inherited contributions to bleeding and inhibitor development in the mother-baby pairs.