2 Phd Studies at University Medical Centre Groningen

The intention is to conduct two studies, using the existing PROCARE2 consortium. This research is being conducted jointly with other UMCs, including Radboud MC, Erasmus MC, UMC Utrecht, Amsterdam UMC, Leiden UMC and Maastricht UMC.

1. Retrospective study into the predictive value of donor-specific antibodies for the occurrence of graft failure.
Objective: to determine the predictive value of donor-specific HLA antibodies for the occurrence of graft failure.
Method: retrospective study of 10,000 kidney transplant patients transplanted between 2006 and 2016, in which immunological and clinical data have now been collected. We aim to analyze the relationship between donor-specific HLA antibodies during transplantation and graft failure. The database will be expanded with rejection data. The ambition is to better predict which patients will develop rejection and what the outcome will be. In addition, we want to investigate the role of non-HLA antibodies on transplant outcome in additional analyses.

2. Prospective study in a national cohort of kidney transplant patients with an increased immunological risk.
Objective: Monitoring the clinical outcome of kidney transplant patients in a prospective study.
Method: In a national prospective study, 200 kidney transplant patients with an increased immunological risk are included. Clinical variables are currently collected from these patients, as well as biomaterials. We want to investigate the outcome of these kidney transplants and link that to various modern immunological assays. These assays will partly be performed in other UMCs. The PhD candidate has a coordinating role in this.