Investigating kidney tubule health and its impact on heart disease in older adults
Official title: Dimensions of Kidney Tubule Health and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease and Heart Failure in Middle-Aged and Older Adults
Funded at Tufts Medical Center · NIH-10990998 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how the health of tiny tubes in your kidneys might influence your chances of developing heart disease as you get older, using new urine tests to find out more about your kidney health and help identify those who may be at higher risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tufts Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | December 25, 2022 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $562,927 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL167233-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-10990998 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are middle-aged and older adults with chronic kidney disease who are at risk for cardiovascular disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without chronic kidney disease or those who are younger than middle age may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding how the health of kidney tubules affects the risk of heart disease and heart failure in middle-aged and older adults. It utilizes novel urine tests to measure various aspects of kidney tubule health, which are believed to be more indicative of cardiovascular risks than traditional kidney function tests. By analyzing these urine measures, the research aims to identify high-risk individuals and improve patient outcomes through better risk assessment and management strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved methods for predicting and preventing heart disease and heart failure in patients with chronic kidney disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that assessing kidney tubule health can provide valuable insights into cardiovascular risks, suggesting that this approach may yield significant findings.
Where this research is happening
-
Tufts Medical Center
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sarnak, Mark J — Tufts Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Sarnak, Mark J
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Kidney tubule health and heart disease risk in middle-aged and older adults
This project uses urine markers of kidney tubule health to help identify middle-aged and older adults at higher risk for atherosclerotic heart disease and heart failure.
-
Integrative model of metabolites, equol, and heart disease
This grant looks at how a person’s body processes soy isoflavones into equol and how that relates to atherosclerotic heart disease, using complex data to build predictive models.
-
Lp(a) and HIV: Understanding Heart Disease Risk in HIV Patients
This program looks at how Lipoprotein(a) contributes to higher heart disease risk in people with HIV and what Lp(a) levels mean for future treatments.
-
PVAT and arteries: why some vessels resist plaque
Aims to understand how fat tissue around arteries influences atherosclerosis, especially why the left internal mammary artery stays healthy while others don’t.
-
How T cell genes and signals affect atherosclerosis
This grant studies how a specific immune cell and its signals influence atherosclerosis in people, aiming to uncover new ways to reduce inflammation and heart disease risk.
-
Understanding why some artery plaques become dangerous using genetics, tissue maps, and advanced imaging
Researchers will combine human genetic data with single-cell and spatial tissue maps to find why certain atherosclerotic plaques are more likely to cause heart events, aiming to improve prediction and prevention.
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.