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Jean Kwun

Associate Professor in Surgery
Surgery, Abdominal Transplant Surgery
362 Jones Building, 207 Research Dr, Durham, NC 27710

Research Interests


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

Selected Grants


Overcoming humoral rejection after xenotransplantation in sensitized nonhuman primate recipients

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases · 2023 - 2028

Overcoming humoral rejection following xenotransplantation via targeting complement C3

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. · 2023 - 2025

The impact of targeting CD40-CD154 pathway in nonhuman primate vascularized composite allograft model

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2025

Miromatrix SRA

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Miromatrix Medical Inc. · 2024 - 2025

Novel development ofan acoustofluidic device for targeted antibody removal in pediatric organ transplan rejection

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2021 - 2025

The Effect of a Desensitization Protocol in Highly Sensitized Renal Transplant Recipients on T Follicular Helper Cells

FellowshipCollaborator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2023 - 2024

An Acoustofluidic Device for Biocompatible Platelet Separation

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Ascent Bio-Nano Technologies, Inc. · 2022 - 2024

Promoting humoral tolerance via targeting complement C3

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System · 2022 - 2024

Targeting complement activation steps in antibody-mediated rejection

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. · 2021 - 2023

Developing clinically relevant immunosuppressive regimen for pig to rhesus kidney transplantation using transgenic pigs

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by eGenesis, Inc. · 2021 - 2023

Turek - Step 2 Project

ResearchInvestigator · Awarded by Enzyvant · 2022 - 2023

Acoustic Device to Prevent Antibody Mediated Organ Transplant Failure

ResearchCollaborator · Awarded by Hartwell Foundation · 2019 - 2023

Alexion Sponsored Research Agreement

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. · 2020 - 2022

Enzyvant Monkey Study

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Enzyvant · 2019 - 2022

Targeting complement C2 in a sensitized rat cardiac allograft model

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. · 2021 - 2022

Measuring the Impact of Allosensitization on Xenotransplantation

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2020 - 2022

Acoustic based plasmapheresis to prevent antibody-mediated organ transplant

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System · 2019 - 2021

Prevention of Homograft Induced Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy in Pediatric Heart Transplantation

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by American Heart Association · 2015 - 2018

Thymus transplantation to induce tolerance to heart transplants

ResearchAssistant Research Professor · Awarded by Enzyvant Sciences Ltd. · 2017 - 2018

Transplant Tolerance in Non-Human Primates

ResearchInvestigator · Awarded by Emory University · 2015 - 2017

Preventing allograft rejection but not tolerance by blockade of the lymphocyte store-operated calcium channel

ResearchInvestigator · Awarded by Department of Defense · 2016 - 2017

Prevention of Homograft Induced Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy in Pediatric Heart Transplantation

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Enduring Hearts · 2015 - 2016

Preventing allograft rejection but not tolerance by blockade of the lymphocyte store-operated calcium channel

ResearchAssistant Research Professor · Awarded by Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp. · 2015 - 2016

Inducible Regulatory B Cells in Transplantation Tolerance

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by University of Wisconsin · 2015 - 2016