The Transplantation Immunology Research Group aims to advance immune therapies that prevent transplant rejection and promote long-term graft survival. A primary focus is the development of antigen-specific regulatory T cells (Tregs) as a targeted cell therapy to induce transplant tolerance, where the recipient’s immune system accepts transplanted organs while preserving immune defenses. This approach holds promise for reducing the need for lifelong immunosuppression and improving transplant outcomes.
Recent Achievements
The group identified and isolated an antigen-specific, functionally stable regulatory T cell (Treg) subset that effectively prevents islet graft rejection in vitro and in vivo in a preclinical model. This newly described Treg subset shows promise as a candidate for Treg-based therapy. Additionally, the group discovered a novel CD127high Treg population with memory and tissue-specific Treg features, which maintains transplant tolerance and prevents rejection in a preclinical murine model. This has stimulated a new line of research looking at the role of tissue specific regulatory T cells in the maintenance and repair of transplanted organs.
The group, as part of a multi-institutional collaboration, was awarded a three-year grant from JDRF (3-SRA-2024-1463-S-B) to study islet biology for treatment of type 1 diabetes.
The group has successfully implemented a comprehensive assessment of immune responses in a clinical trial testing a novel immunosuppressive regimen for islet transplantation. The group’s whole-blood leukocyte immune panels, requiring less than 1.5 mL of peripheral blood, enable efficient monitoring of immune cell subsets and their activation states across granulocytes, monocytes, dendritic cells, B cells, NK cells, T cells (including regulatory T cells, or Tregs), and NKT cells. This panel has the potential to provide high level monitoring of patients on immunosuppression or following immune reconstitution.
Recent publications

Intragraft memory-like CD127hiCD4+Foxp3+ Tregs maintain transplant tolerance - JCI Insight
February 2024

Human HLA-DR+CD27+ regulatory T cells show enhanced antigen-specific suppressive function - JCI Insight
December 2023

Low Dose IL-2 Combined with Rapamycin Led to an Expansion of CD4(+)CD25(+)FOXP3(+) Tregs and Prolonged Human Islet-allograft Survival in Humanized Mice
August 2020

Standardisation of flow cytometry for whole blood immunophenotyping of islet transplant and transplant clinical trial recipients.

Key driver genes as potential therapeutic targets in renal allograft rejection.
August 2020
NAME | ROLE |
Dr Min Hu | Group leader |
Prof Philip O’Connell | Co-leader |
Dr Paulomi Mehta | Postdoc |
Elvira Jimenez-Vera | Scientific Officer and Project Manager |
Dr David Bo Lu | Animal Surgeon |