Technically, renal transplantation has been feasible for over four decades. However, immunological injury to the transplanted kidney continues to be the leading cause of graft loss. While current immunosuppressive protocols yield a 1-year graft survival of >90%, the trade off is increased risks from nephrotoxicity to manifestations of long-term immunosuppression. We have developed techniques which would allow genetic manipulation of the donor kidney while utilizing current procurement and preservation protocols.
