How genetic differences and DNA changes lead to gout
Official title: Translational genomics in gout: From GWAS signal to mechanism
Funded at University of Alabama at Birmingham · NIH-11191544 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how inherited genes and DNA-based cell changes make adults with high uric acid more likely to have gout flares.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project start | September 21, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $604,318 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR081859-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11191544 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (age 21+) with high uric acid levels or a history of gout, including patients from diverse racial backgrounds, would be the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without high uric acid or gout, children under 21, or those unwilling to provide blood/tissue samples are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
What this research studies
If you have high uric acid or gout, researchers will use large genetic datasets and laboratory tests on blood and tissue samples to find the exact genes and DNA changes that trigger joint inflammation when urate crystals form. They will focus on long noncoding RNAs and a process called clonal hematopoiesis (CHIP) that can reprogram immune cells to overreact through the NLRP3 inflammasome and release IL-1β. The team will combine genome-wide association signals with epigenetic measurements and cell experiments to trace how a genetic signal becomes a harmful cell response. The work aims to link specific genetic changes to mechanisms that could be turned into diagnostic tests or new therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could identify specific genetic and cellular pathways to target for tests or treatments that prevent or reduce gout flares.
How similar studies have gone: Large GWAS and laboratory studies have already linked many genes and epigenetic changes to gout and inflammasome activation, but turning those findings into treatments is still early-stage.
Where this research is happening
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University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Merriman, Tony R — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Merriman, Tony R
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Treat-to-Target Urate in Gout: A New Approach for Better Pain and Health
A large clinical trial tests whether aiming for a specific uric acid level in gout patients improves symptoms and health outcomes compared with avoiding symptoms.
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Translational Genomics in Gout: Linking GWAS Signals to Mechanisms
Aims to understand why some people with high uric acid develop gout by connecting genetic clues to the biology of joint inflammation.
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Genetic clues to gout flares through cell gene activity in blood and joint fluid
Researchers will study how genes turn on or off in immune cells from blood and joint fluid during gout flares to understand why flares happen.
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Uric acid skin sensor to guide gout treatment and diet
A skin patch that measures uric acid in sweat is being tested to help people with gout manage their diet and medications better.
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Wearable skin patch that tracks uric acid and metabolites for people with gout
A wearable skin patch will measure uric acid and other metabolites around meals to help people with gout make better diet and medication choices.
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Gout and Kidney Disease: How gout changes as kidney disease gets worse and after kidney transplant
This project follows people with gout as their kidney disease progresses toward dialysis or transplant, using national kidney data to understand how often gout flares happen and how care needs change.
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.