Epigenetic Control of Nephron Progenitor Cell Lifespan
Funded at Tulane University of Louisiana · NIH-11421508 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to understand how nephron progenitor cells age and stop making new kidney units, with hopes of finding ways to preserve or extend kidney tissue in people who have kidney disease or injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tulane University of Louisiana NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Orleans, United States) |
| Project start | September 24, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $593,026 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK143918-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11421508 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals (or tissues) affected by reduced nephron number or kidney function who could benefit from future therapies targeting nephron renewal.
✕Less likely to help
People without kidney conditions or those not related to nephron renewal research may not benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
This project studies how kidney progenitor cells age and stop renewing themselves, using advanced gene and epigenetic analysis in mice and human tissue. Researchers will map how transcription factors like AP-1 interact with DNA over time and how chemical marks on chromatin influence cell fate. The study combines multiomics, epigenomics, and mouse genetics to test whether altering these signals can preserve stemness or promote renewal of nephron units. If successful, the work could point toward strategies to support kidney regeneration after injury or congenital loss.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Findings could guide new approaches to maintain or restore nephron formation in people with reduced kidney function.
How similar studies have gone: Early research shows that chromatin and TF binding influence nephron progenitor lifespan, but this project tackles unresolved, age-related chromatin remodeling in NPCs.
Where this research is happening
-
Tulane University of Louisiana
New Orleans, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: El-Dahr, Samir S — Tulane University of Louisiana
- Study coordinator: El-Dahr, Samir S
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Center for Youth Equity: A Community Path to Prevent Youth Violence
A Tulane-led effort partners with communities to reduce youth violence by addressing racism, strengthening local youth voices, and building sustainable prevention strategies.
-
Breeding colony expansion to support HIV/AIDS research with rhesus macaques
A funding opportunity to expand a specialized Rhesus macaque breeding population to support HIV/AIDS research at Tulane’s primate facility.
-
HIV Resilience Observatory in a rhesus macaque colony expansion
A program to build a rhesus macaque breeding colony and use AI-powered monitoring to study why some HIV/AIDS outcomes differ among individuals with similar backgrounds.
-
Indoor-Outdoor Housing Expansion to Support HIV/AIDS-Related Research
A HIV-focused project at a primate research center will use new indoor/outdoor housing and AI-assisted monitoring to study why people with similar backgrounds can have very different HIV outcomes.
-
Whole-body and organ aging clocks from blood proteomics during calorie restriction
This project follows people in long-term calorie restriction studies to see how blood proteins reflect aging across the whole body and specific organs.
-
Unlocking new vaccine ideas by studying ETEC biofilms
A medical research project at Tulane aims to learn how ETEC bacteria form biofilms and how this could lead to a better vaccine for children in low- and middle-income countries.
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.