Developing new drugs to help the kidneys manage salt and water balance
Structure-based strategy for developing inhibitors of the kidney chloride channel CLC-Ka
This study is working on creating new medications that can help people with kidney problems and conditions like low salt levels in the body, by understanding how a specific channel in the kidneys works.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10878959 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research focuses on creating specific inhibitors for the CLC-Ka chloride channel, which plays a crucial role in kidney function and water reabsorption. By utilizing advanced techniques like cryo-electron microscopy, the team aims to understand the structure of the CLC-Ka channel and how potential drugs can effectively target it. The goal is to develop a medication that can help patients suffering from conditions like hyponatremia, which is an imbalance of salt and water in the body. This could lead to better management of related health issues such as hypertension and heart failure.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are patients experiencing hyponatremia or related kidney dysfunction due to conditions like heart failure or cirrhosis.
Not a fit: Patients with normal kidney function or those not experiencing issues with fluid balance may not benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments that improve kidney function and help manage fluid balance in patients with various medical conditions.
How similar studies have performed: Other research has shown promise in targeting chloride channels for therapeutic purposes, indicating that this approach has potential for success.
Where this research is happening
Stanford, United States
- Stanford University — Stanford, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Maduke, Merritt C — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Maduke, Merritt C
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.