How kidneys make and use ketones in health and kidney disease
Defining intra-renal ketone metabolism in kidney health and disease
This research looks at how kidney cells produce and use ketones in adults with and without kidney disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11238436 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your perspective, the team is mapping where ketones are made and burned inside different parts of the kidney and how that changes in disease. They use animal models with targeted gene changes, lab experiments on kidney tissue, and analyses of human adult kidney samples to track ketone-producing and ketone-using cells. The goal is to see whether nearby kidney cells share ketones to support each other and whether that helps protect kidney function. Findings will guide whether targeting ketone pathways could become a treatment approach.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Most relevant participants would be adults (21+) with chronic or acute kidney disease or adults who can provide kidney tissue samples during clinical procedures.
Not a fit: Children and people without kidney involvement, or those unable to provide tissue or attend study visits, are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new metabolic targets that lead to treatments protecting kidneys or slowing kidney disease.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal and lab studies show kidneys can express ketone-related enzymes, but the idea of local ketone sharing within the kidney is relatively new and still being explored.
Where this research is happening
Dallas, United States
- Ut Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Huen, Sarah — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Huen, Sarah
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.