The european transplantation and innovation (eu-train) consortium for improving diagnosis and risk stratification in kidney transplant patients
Rejection is the major cause of allograft failure with dramatic consequences in terms of mortality, morbidity and increased cost for the society. The field of transplantation lacks a robust assessment of risk stratification. Thus, it impairs the development of relevant clinical trials to address graft and patient outcomes. We formed the EU-TRAIN project by gathering reference kidney transplant centres in a fully operating European network including 12 partners. Our ambitious but realistic goals are: to provide clinicians with innovative and accessible tools for early prediction of individual risk of allograft rejection and transplant loss; to personalise clinical management and treatment and; to improve allograft outcomes. This project will engineer a risk stratification system applied to kidney transplant patients by analysing the integration of several layers of data (clinical, histological, immunological data as well as gene expression and novel biomarkers) - the TRAnsplant Comprehensive Evaluator of Risk (EU-TRACER). EU-TRACER will be generated and validated in 2 dedicated studies including a randomised control trial. Translation to patients will be achieved by delivering: 1) A multiplex non-invasive biomarker system for the stratification and immune monitoring of low and high risk kidney recipients; 2) A prognostic system for individual risk stratification for allograft rejection and failure that will assist decision making via an interactive web interface. The EU-TRACER, developed with our 3 industrial partners, will define a new standard of care in transplantation. The EU-TRACER will have the potential for a large implementation and diffusion in other centres in Europe and will be suitable for industrial collaboration.