The influence of the exposome on immune senescence in kidney transplant recipients.
Description: Kidney transplantation is the preferred treatment for end-stage kidney disease and improves survival and quality of life compared with dialysis. Nevertheless, the long-term prognosis for both the patient kidney remains suboptimal, partly due to accelerated biological ageing and immunosenescence. Exposome research shows that lifestyle and environmental factors are important determinants of ageing and immune function, but such data are largely lacking in kidney transplant patients. Diet and nutritional status are modifiable factors that may contribute to the increased cardiovascular and metabolic risk in this population, which exhibits a two- to four-fold higher mortality rate than the general population. However, the impact of diet or physical activity on immunosenescence has scarcely been investigated. Targeted lifestyle interventions have the potential to improve cardiometabolic health, immune function and transplant outcomes and warrant further investigation.
Funder: Vlaamse regering
Funding type: grant
Funder scheme: BOF - projects
Start date: 2026-01-01
End date: 2026-12-31
Investigator: Steven Van Laecke
Institution: UGent
Funded outputs count: 0
Funder award ID: bof/baf/1y/26/1/018
OpenAlex ID: G1580691515