Blood stem cell changes linked to mild memory problems and worsening kidney function
Official title: Clonal hematopoiesis, mild cognitive impairment and kidney function decline
Funded at University of Colorado Denver · NIH-11494175 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will see if age-related changes in blood stem cells (clonal hematopoiesis) are tied to mild thinking problems and faster kidney decline in adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | June 1, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $234,699 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AG077747-05S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11494175 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (age 21 and older), especially middle-aged and older people with or at risk for mild cognitive impairment or chronic kidney disease, who can provide blood samples and clinical data are the most suitable candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People under 21, those unwilling to give blood or medical information, or those seeking an immediate treatment change are unlikely to gain direct benefit from participation.
What this research studies
From your point of view, researchers will collect blood samples and medical information and may use imaging or measures related to bone marrow fat to look for specific mutations in blood stem cells called clonal hematopoiesis. They will follow cognitive tests and standard kidney function measures over time to see who has faster decline. The team will also measure blood metabolites to look for biological signals that might explain links between these blood changes, thinking problems, and kidney disease. Findings will come from comparing people with and without these blood mutations and relating those differences to cognitive and kidney outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify people at higher risk for cognitive decline and kidney disease and point to new targets to prevent or slow those problems.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked clonal hematopoiesis to cardiovascular disease, but its connection to cognitive decline and kidney disease is largely untested and therefore novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chonchol, Michel Benjamin — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Chonchol, Michel Benjamin
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.