Villanova Nursing Researcher Secures Major NIH Grant to Study Caregiver-Patient Relationship in Lung Transplant Recipients
VILLANOVA, Pa. (October 15, 2026) — Brittany Koons, PhD, RN, assistant professor of Nursing in Villanova University’s M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, has received a five-year, $3,579,843 grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate how caregivers influence outcomes for lung transplant patients and to develop evidence that could reshape how transplant programs evaluate and support patients and families.
While transplants can significantly extend survival and improve quality of life for patients with organ failure, as many as 20% of transplant candidates are considered ineligible because of inadequate caregiver support. These decisions are made following caregiver evaluation processes, yet there is limited evidence explaining exactly how caregivers affect transplant outcomes or what constitutes adequate support. The project will address this critical aspect of the organ transplantation process.
"If we're going to continue to require caregivers as part of the transplant process, we need to understand their role, how they impact outcomes and how we can better support both patients and caregivers,” said Dr. Koons.
The study will focus on lung transplantation, one of the most medically complex organ transplants. Lung transplant recipients face intensive care demands before and after surgery and experience higher rates of complications and mortality than many other transplant populations. While previous research has largely focused on the patient, Dr. Koons will study transplant care as a dyadic partnership between patients and caregivers throughout the transplant journey.
The team will enroll 410 patient-caregiver dyads before transplant, follow them through transplantation and conduct assessments six and 12 months after surgery. Researchers will evaluate how the patient and caregiver’s contributions to transplant care affect outcomes such as survival, hospitalization, quality of life, caregiver burden and caregiver well-being.
The project uses a mixed-methods design that combines quantitative data with in-depth interviews. In addition to measuring clinical outcomes and quality-of-life indicators, researchers will conduct separate interviews with patients and caregivers to better understand their experiences, challenges and perspectives on managing transplant care together.
The study will recruit participants through leading transplant centers at the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University and the University of California, San Francisco. It will also leverage the existing infrastructure of the NHLBI-funded Lung Transplant Consortium PROMISE Study, a large prospective study collecting clinical and quality-of-life data from lung transplant recipients across the United States. Additionally, the grant will fund sub-awards for several other institutions collaborating on the project.
"We hope the findings of this study establish evidence-based approaches for evaluating caregiver support and create new interventions that strengthen transplant candidacy, improve care at home and enhance quality of life for both patients and caregivers,” said Dr. Koons.
The grant will support a multidisciplinary team of researchers and trainees, including undergraduate and doctoral nursing students who will participate in data collection, interviews and analysis. The project will also create new staff opportunities within FCN.
Acknowledgement of Federal Support:
Research reported in this release was supported by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01HL184123. The content is solely the responsibility of the author and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. The total project is 100% federally funded in the amount of $3,579,843.
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