Cleveland Clinic Receives $5 Million Grant to Lead Biorepository Coordinating Center for Cystic Fibrosis Lung Transplant Consortium

Cleveland Clinic has been awarded a $5 million grant from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to continue its role as the Biorepository Coordinating Center for the Cystic Fibrosis Lung Transplant Consortium until 2030. The coordinating center provides the infrastructure to support research to improve understanding of the factors that affect lung transplant outcomes.

The initiative, which includes 15 participating institutions in North America, is led by Maryam Valapour, M.D., M.P.P., director of Lung Transplant Outcomes at Cleveland Clinic, and Suzy Comhair, Ph.D., scientific director of Cleveland Clinic’s Biorepository and associate professor in the department of inflammation and immunity.

Since its inception, the center has led this prospective, longitudinal study of lung transplant recipients. The study collects biological specimens and clinical data at key milestones following transplantation, with all data linked to the Cystic Fibrosis Lung Transplant Consortium registry.

The ongoing effort enables future research studies to access these biospecimens and data to investigate the causes of and potential treatments for Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction (CLAD). This serious and common complication is the primary cause of lung failure and mortality after lung transplantation.

“This funding will allow Cleveland Clinic to build on the successful work of the past five years leading the Cystic Fibrosis Lung Transplant Consortium’s efforts to study the causes and treatment of CLAD,” said Dr. Valapour. “Our hope is that, through this initiative, we can improve long-term outcomes after lung transplant—a critical treatment option for those with advanced lung disease.”

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation created the Cystic Fibrosis Lung Transplant Consortium in 2017 to establish a network of research centers that contribute specialized expertise, clinical data, and biospecimens to accelerate research into CLAD.

“We are proud to serve as the hub of the Cystic Fibrosis Lung Transplant Consortium and be part of a clinical and translational research network that brings together 15 lung transplant centers across the United States and Canada,” said Dr. Comhair. “This multi-institutional team is collaborating closely to advance our understanding of CLAD and develop new therapies that will enhance patient outcomes.”

The renewed funding for the Biorepository Coordinating Center will support the continued collection and curation of clinical data and specimens, as well as the expansion of research goals. The center also will update its program objectives to reflect evolving scientific priorities and ensure that the biorepository continues to serve as a critical resource for qualified researchers studying CLAD.

While the median life expectancy for people with cystic fibrosis has improved significantly in recent decades, long-term outcomes after lung transplant have only modestly improved, largely due to the persistent challenge of CLAD.

Furthermore, variations in transplant-candidate selection and post-transplant care point to opportunities for identifying best practices that could improve both access to transplantation and patient outcomes.