How metabolism and chronic inflammation contribute to gout
Official title: Metabolic syndrome, chronic inflammation, and gout: a multi-omics approach
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11251315 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses genetic and blood-based measurements from adults to understand why some people with high uric acid develop gout and how metabolic syndrome and long-term inflammation play a role.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $224,101 |
| NIH project number | 5R00AR080243-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11251315 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with gout, prolonged high uric acid (hyperuricemia), or features of metabolic syndrome (for example insulin resistance) are the main groups whose data are relevant to this work.
✕Less likely to help
People under age 21, those without gout or metabolic risk factors, or anyone seeking an immediate change in their treatment should not expect direct clinical benefit because this is an analysis of existing data rather than a treatment trial.
What this research studies
Researchers will analyze genetic data and multiple types of blood measurements (metabolites, proteins, and gene activity) from large groups of adults to see how metabolism and chronic inflammation connect to gout. They will combine information from UK Biobank, the Nurses' Health Studies, the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, GTEx gene-expression data, and new gout genetics studies. The team will also examine diet and metabolite patterns to identify biological pathways that move people from prolonged high uric acid to clinical gout. Results are intended to point to biomarkers or biological targets that could guide future tests or treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal biological signals linking metabolic syndrome and inflammation to gout that help identify people at higher risk or suggest new treatment targets.
How similar studies have gone: Previous genetic and metabolomic studies have found links between uric acid, inflammation, and gout, but combining genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and proteomics across large cohorts is a relatively new and growing approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mccormick, Natalie — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Mccormick, Natalie
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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.