CKDu in Central American farm communities: understanding kidney disease in El Salvador and Nicaragua
Official title: CKDu in Salvadoran and Nicaraguan Agricultural Communities
Funded at Boston University Medical Campus · NIH-11528627 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A human-focused research project aims to understand why younger agricultural workers in Central America are getting kidney disease and what can be done to prevent it.
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) | $264,104 |
| NIH project number | 3U01DK130057-06S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11528627 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults in Central American agricultural communities with CKD symptoms or exposure histories relevant to CKDu.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without CKD or relevant exposure histories may not directly benefit from the study findings.
What this research studies
This grant supports a national research consortium to investigate chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) in El Salvador and Nicaragua, focusing on agricultural workers. It will coordinate epidemiology, biological sampling, environmental assessments, and data analysis to identify causes and potential interventions. Researchers will collaborate across field sites and a central data center to study how exposures and biology contribute to disease progression, aiming to translate findings into public health actions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to targeted prevention and treatment strategies for CKDu and reduce premature kidney-related deaths among agricultural workers.
How similar studies have gone: Similar CKDu epidemics in other regions have prompted comprehensive research and showed potential for identifying contributing factors and interventions.
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
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.