Hidden salt stores in the body that don't change water
Exploring water free sodium storage
This work will look for pockets of sodium stored without extra body water in pigs and people to see if the body can hold salt in a way we don't yet understand.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11084421 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your perspective, researchers will run coordinated experiments in pigs and people to find out whether sodium can be stored or released without changing total body water. They will use controlled salt-loading, blood tests, imaging, and targeted tissue sampling to track where sodium goes. Some visits may include short inpatient stays so diet, fluid intake, and urine output can be tightly monitored. The pig work helps develop and validate methods before using similar measurements in people, and staff will explain risks and procedures before any participation.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who can follow controlled salt and fluid protocols—including healthy volunteers and people with hypertension, heart failure, or kidney disease if allowed—are the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: Children, pregnant people, or anyone unable to undergo scans, blood draws, or short inpatient monitoring are unlikely to be eligible or to benefit directly from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If a water-free sodium compartment is proven, it could open new ways to diagnose and treat blood pressure and fluid balance problems.
How similar studies have performed: Previous rodent and small human studies have had mixed and sometimes conflicting results, so this project aims to provide more definitive evidence.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Testani, Jeffrey M — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Testani, Jeffrey M
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.