Cadmium's effect on how kidneys handle medicines
Impact of Cadmium Exposure on Transporter Function and Drug Disposition in the Kidney
Researchers are looking at whether long-term, low-level cadmium exposure changes kidney transport proteins and alters how medicines are cleared in people exposed to cadmium.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Maryland Baltimore NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11299050 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have had long-term cadmium exposure, this work looks at whether that exposure changes proteins in the kidney that move drugs into and out of kidney cells. The team will examine key transporter proteins (OCTs, OATs, MATEs, MRPs) using laboratory models and tissue samples to see how they handle commonly used medicines. They will measure drug uptake, efflux, and clearance and study the molecular changes cadmium causes in kidney cells. The researchers aim to connect cadmium exposure with altered drug levels that could affect medication safety or effectiveness.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with known or suspected chronic cadmium exposure (for example from environmental or occupational sources) or those receiving drugs cleared by renal transporters.
Not a fit: People without any history of cadmium exposure or with normal kidney function and no concerns about drug clearance are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help clinicians predict altered drug handling in people with cadmium exposure and guide safer, more personalized dosing.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory and preliminary data suggest cadmium can affect renal transporters, but directly linking exposure to changes in drug disposition in patients is a relatively new and developing area.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- University of Maryland Baltimore — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shu, Yan — University of Maryland Baltimore
- Study coordinator: Shu, Yan
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 below.