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Grant Awards
Grant Awards Cycle XXV & XXVI (2011)
Research Group
- Dr Joren Madsen, Principal Investigator
- Dr Jon Kobashigawa, Collaborator
- Dr James Stone, Collaborator
- Dr Steven Webber, Collaborator
- Dr Lori West, Collaborator
- Dr Emmanuel Zorn, Collaborator
Location
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
Title
- Understanding How Immune Cells Reject Heart Transplants
Chronic rejection of is one of the main causes of death
after heart transplantation. The mechanisms whereby immune cells from the host
reject the transplanted hearts are not fully understood. A certain type of white
blood cells, called B lymphocytes, is often seen directly
in rejected hearts, yet their function remains unknown. In our studies, we will
isolate these particular cells directly from samples collected from patients who
have experienced rejection and study them. We hypothesize these white blood
cells fuel the immune response to heart transplants and largely contribute to their
rejection.