Finding lupus kidney inflammation early with a urine protein test
Official title: Clinical applications of urine proteomics to lupus nephritis
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11327251 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Testing whether a urine protein test can detect early kidney inflammation in people with lupus before permanent damage occurs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $725,944 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK134625-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11327251 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with systemic lupus (SLE) being followed for disease activity who do not yet have significant proteinuria but are at risk for developing lupus nephritis.
✕Less likely to help
People who already have established, irreversible kidney damage or late-stage kidney disease are unlikely to benefit from an early-detection urine test.
What this research studies
You or people like you in the Hopkins Lupus Cohort will have urine samples analyzed for specific proteins and for a full proteomic profile. The team will measure proteins such as IL-16, CD163, and neutrophil-related proteins in samples collected within three months before kidney protein appeared. They will compare people who later developed biopsy-proven lupus nephritis to those who did not to find a predictive panel. The goal is a urine test that signals kidney inflammation early so treatment can begin sooner and avoid permanent nephron loss.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could enable earlier, less toxic treatment and help prevent irreversible kidney damage in people with lupus.
How similar studies have gone: Previous NIH AMP urine proteomic work has identified markers like IL-16 and CD163 linked to kidney inflammation, so this builds on promising but still emerging evidence.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fava, Andrea — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Fava, Andrea
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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.