CKDu in Central American agricultural communities
Official title: CKDu in Salvadoran and Nicaraguan Agricultural Communities
Funded at Boston University Medical Campus · NIH-11596356 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research effort is studying a kidney disease affecting younger farm workers in El Salvador and Nicaragua to understand its causes and how it progresses.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University Medical Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 25, 2021 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $326,713 |
| NIH project number | 3U01DK130057-06S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11596356 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults in El Salvador and Nicaragua who are working in agriculture and may be at risk for CKDu.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without exposure to or risk factors for CKDu may not directly benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This project focuses on chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) in Central American agricultural communities. It brings together multiple experts and centers to study why CKDu is more common in younger men in these regions and not tied to diabetes or hypertension. The team plans to collect biological samples, environmental data, and use advanced analyses to find potential causes and pathways, with the goal of identifying targets for prevention and treatment. The work emphasizes ethical research designs, standardized data collection, and dissemination of findings to improve public health. Participating sites include field epidemiology locations, a data coordinating center, and a renal science core based in Boston.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to prevention strategies, earlier detection, and new treatments for CKDu among affected communities.
How similar studies have gone: CKDu epidemics have been observed in other regions, and collaborative research is building understanding, though the causes remain to be fully defined.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston University Medical Campus
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Scammell, Madeleine — Boston University Medical Campus
- Study coordinator: Scammell, Madeleine
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Creating a detailed map of early lung cancer changes
This study is looking at early changes in lung tissue that can lead to cancer, specifically focusing on common types of lung cancer, and it's for patients who want to help researchers understand these changes better so they can improve early detection and treatment.
-
Telomere trouble in ALT cancers: what causes damage and how it happens
Researchers are studying why some cancer cells use ALT to lengthen telomeres and how replication stress damages telomeres, aiming to uncover key processes that could be targeted in patients.
-
IL-6 signaling, lung injury, and post-TB lung disease in TB/HIV
This grant tests how a specific immune signal (IL-6) relates to lung damage after tuberculosis in people with and without HIV, aiming to understand who is at risk for lasting lung problems.
-
IL-6 signaling and lung injury after TB and HIV co-infection
This project looks at how a common immune signal called IL-6 relates to lung injury after TB treatment, especially in people who also have HIV.
-
LEAD Africa: advancing Alzheimer’s research across Africa
A new project aims to build Alzheimer’s disease research capabilities in Africa to improve understanding and care for people with dementia.
-
Leading AD and related dementias research in Africa
A multi-country effort aims to build Africa’s capacity to study Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias using scalable, low-cost methods.
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.