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  5. Pilot Grant Program

REIMAGINE Pilot Grant Program

The REIMAGINE Pilot Grant Program aims to fund transformative, early-stage projects with the potential to attract larger-scale federal and philanthropic support. Through the REIMAGINE Pilot Grant Program, our goal is to accelerate progress and make a lasting impact in the organ transplantation and donation field. We are thrilled to announce or inaugural awardees!

Awardees

  • Pei-An (Betty) Shih, M.P.M., Ph.D.

    Pei-An (Betty) Shih, M.P.M., Ph.D.

    P. Betty Shih, M.P.M., Ph.D., is an associate professor of psychiatry at UC San Diego, and an epidemiologist whose work bridges biological mechanisms of disease and patient-centered outcomes research. Her biologically focused studies explore how genes, environmental factors and behaviors influence the development, progression, and treatment response of conditions such as hypertension, acute kidney injury,and eating disorders — research supported by the National Kidney Foundation, Arthritis Foundation and National Institutes of Health. In parallel, she leads patient-centered outcomes research that examines how social, cultural, and behavioral factors affect treatment success and quality of life, with a particular emphasis on improving care delivery, medication adherence, and health equity for transplant recipients and other vulnerable populations. Together, these complementary research threads reflect her commitment to translating scientific discovery into compassionate, practical solutions that enhance patient outcomes and well-being.

Shih's Project

Kidney transplants save lives and greatly improve quality of life, but their success depends on taking multiple medications every day to protect the transplanted kidney. These medications prevent the immune system from rejecting the organ, yet they can be complex to manage and often have challenging side effects. As a result, many patients struggle to follow their prescribed routines, which can lead to organ rejection, hospitalizations, and other serious health complications.

This study aims to understand why some patients have difficulty taking their medications as prescribed and to use these insights to develop new educational programs in medical and pharmacy schools. It will explore how social and emotional factors — such as stress, depression and cultural barriers — affect daily health behaviors and medication adherence.

By listening directly to kidney transplant patients, researchers hope to identify barriers and discover what types of support could make a difference. These findings will shape an educational curriculum for future doctors and pharmacists that emphasizes not only medical knowledge but also empathy, communication skills, and real-world problem-solving. The ultimate goal is to help patients manage their medications more easily, stay healthier, and protect their transplanted kidney for years to come.

 

 

 

  • Peter Than, M.D.

    Peter Than, M.D.

    Peter Than, M.D., is an abdominal transplant surgeon and scientist at UC San Diego working to expand access to organ transplantation. His research combines cutting-edge tools — including spatial -omics, cell/ gene therapies and machine perfusion — to rehabilitate organs before transplant. He co-founded the UC San Diego Transplant Revitalization Laboratory, which brings together clinicians and scientists to improve organ preservation, develop viability assessment tools, and create targeted therapies to make more organs transplantable. With support from the REIMAGINE Center, his team is advancing new strategies to improve outcomes and reduce kidney discard.

Than's Project

Each year, thousands of donated kidneys are discarded because they are considered too high-risk for transplant. Many of these kidneys are vulnerable to injury and dysfunction after transplantation. This project explores a new way to rescue and repair these organs.

Than's research focuses on engineering extracellular vesicles (EVs) - tiny biological delivery vehicles - that can be customized to target specific kidney cells and carry gene-editing tools designed to reduce inflammation and tissue damage. Insights from prior studies identifying key cell types and genes linked to unwanted transplant outcomes will guide the development of these engineered EVs. The EVs will be delivered using normothermic machine perfusion, a technology that maintains kidneys in a functioning, metabolically active state outside the body.

By using precision gene-editing tools to modulate kidney function before transplantation, this approach aims to improve the quality and viability of donor kidneys, potentially improving their suitability for transplant. The ultimate goal is to reduce kidney discard, shorten wait times, and increase access to life-saving transplants.

Support from the REIMAGINE Center will help bring this innovative strategy closer to clinical use. The technologies and insights developed may also benefit other organ systems and expand the reach of gene therapies.