Transplant Immune Regulation and Tolerance Lab (TIRTL)

Principal Investigator

Stuart Johnston Knechtle

William R. Kenan, Jr. Distinguished Professor
Professor of Surgery
Adjunct Professor in the Department of Medicine

Contact Information

stuart.knechtle@duke.edu

Principal Investigator

Jean Kwun

Associate Professor in Surgery
Associate Professor of Pathology

Contact Information

jean.kwun@duke.edu

Overview

Data map of pre- and post-treatment research conducted by TIRTL

Our research program focuses on modulating the pre-formed alloimmune response to donor antigen in sensitized recipients. Advances in organ transplantation, B cell immunology, and hematologic malignancy research led me to expand my goals to include identifying strategies for both desensitization and treating AMR by targeting components of the post-transplant humoral immune response. In addition, we applied the knowledge gained by studying the alloimmune response to xenotransplantation, with the goal of improving long-term outcomes of kidney xenotransplantation by decreasing xeno-reactive antibodies as well as alleviating post-xenotransplant AMR.

The six primary research interests of TIRTL are,

Pre-clinical models for organ transplantation
Desensitization strategies – Preclinical/Clinical
Xenotransplantation
Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) treatment
Optimal immunosuppression
Tolerance

Lab Members

Current Lab Members

Shengli Song, PhD (Faculty)
Instructor of Surgery, 4/2022 - Present

Joseph Ladowski, MD, PhD (PGY3)
Duke Research Resident (DUMC), 7/2022-Present

Davide Schiliro, MD
Post-doctoral Fellow, 2023. 5 – Present

Daniel Schuster, MD (PGY3)
Research Resident and PhD candidate, 2023. 4 – Present

Alessandro Martinino, MD
Post-doctoral Fellow, 11/2023-Present

Nagham Bazzi, MD
Post-doctoral Fellow, 1/2024-Present

Matthew Tunbridge, MD
Post-doctoral Fellow, PhD candidate, 2023.8 - Present

Janghoon Yoon, BS
Project/Lab manager, 6/2015-Present

Rafaella Belloni, BS
Research Technician, 6/2022-Present

Angela Park, BS
Research Technician, 1/2023-Present

Emma Fatzaun, BS
Research Technician, 2023.8 - Present

Zhen Chen, BS, MMSc
Research Technician, 8/2023-Present

Ryan Spangler
Volunteer undergrad student (Duke University). 10/22-1/2023
Independent Study (Project Term: Spring 2023). 1/2023-5/2023

Kyo Won Lee, MD, PhD
Visiting Scholar (Samsung Medical Center, South Korea), 2023.8- Present

Min Jung Kim, MD, PhD
Visiting Scholar (Seoul Medical Center, South Korea), 2023.8 - Present

Allie Schwalb, BS (MS2)
Duke Medical Student (DUMC), 9/2023-Present
ASTS Presidential Student Mentor Grand Recipient

Meghan Hu, BS (MS2)
Duke Medical Student (DUMC), 10/2023-Present
2023 Bollinger Scholarship Recipient

Former Lab Members

Imran Anwar, MD (PGY4)

Duke Research Resident (DUMC), 2021.7-Present

Isabel DeLaura, BS (MS2)

Duke Medical Student (DUMC), 2021.9-Present (2022 ASTS Presidential Student Mentor Grant recipients)

Miriam Manook, MD, PhD

Visiting Research Resident (Kings College, UK), 9/2015-8/2016
Visiting Research Resident (Kings College, UK), 9/2019-8/2021
Currently at the University of Cambridge, UK

Danae Olaso, MD

Duke Medical Student (DUMC), 6/2019-8-2019 (2019 ASTS Presidential Student Mentor Grant recipients)
Duke Medical Student (DUMC), 10/2020-6/2021 (Bollinger Scholarship)
Currently at UC San Diego (General Surgery Resident)

Robert Baldi, BS

Research Technician, 2021 - 2022

Yeeun Bae, BS

Research Technician, 2020-2021
Currently, PhD Student at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

Robin Schmitz, MD

Duke Research Resident (DUMC), 7/2018-6/2020
Currently at the University of Pittsburg (Fellow – Surgical Oncology)

Zachery Fitch, MD

Duke Research Resident (DUMC), 7/2018-6/2020

Ashley Choi, MD

Duke Medical Student (DUMC), 7/2018-4/2020
Currently at Stanford University, CA (Surgery resident)

Paul Schroder, MD, PhD

Duke Research Resident (DUMC), 7/2017-6/2019
Currently at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (Transplant Fellow)

Kyle Freischlag, MD

2^nd year Medical Student (DUMC), 9/2016-6/2018
Currently at the University of Iowa (Surgery resident)

Brian Ezekian, MD

Duke Research Resident (DUMC), 7/2016-6/2018
Currently at the University of Toronto (Transplant Fellow)

Jae Berm Park, MD, PhD

Visiting Scholar, 7/2015-7/2016
Currently at Samsung Medical Center (Division Chair), Seoul, South Korea

Christopher Burghuber, MD

Visiting Research Resident (Medical University of Vienna, Austria), 6/2013-5/2015
Currently, Vascular Surgeon at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria

Eugenia Page, MD

Emory research Resident, 7/2010-6/2012
Emory research Resident, 7/2014-1/2015
Currently at Atlanta Plastic & Reconstructive Specialists, Atlanta, GA

Andrew Page, MD

Emory research Resident, 7/2008-6/2010
Currently at Piedmont Hospital, Atlanta, GA

Silke V. Niederhaus, MD

Research Resident (University of Wisconsin-Madison), 6/2005-6/2007 (2006-2008 ASTS Jon Fryer Resident Scientist Scholarship recipient)
Currently at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

Wasim Dar, MD, PhD