Oxalate balance in people with calcium oxalate kidney stones
Comprehensive Analysis of Oxalate Homeostasis in Calcium Oxalate Kidney Stone Formers
This project will find out why some adults make or absorb extra oxalate that increases the chance of calcium oxalate kidney stones.
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 ID | NIH-11232375 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work enrolls adults with calcium oxalate kidney stones to measure how much oxalate their bodies make and how much they absorb from the gut. Researchers will test urine and stool samples and look for the oxalate‑breaking gut bacterium Oxalobacter formigenes. The team will compare metabolic and dietary contributors to urinary oxalate and try to determine whether adding or restoring this bacterium can lower oxalate levels in people who form stones. The goal is to link diet, gut microbes, and body oxalate production to better ways to prevent future stones.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults (age 21 and older) with a history of calcium oxalate kidney stones who can provide urine and stool samples and attend clinic visits.
Not a fit: People without calcium oxalate stones, children, or anyone unable to provide required samples or travel to the study site are unlikely to benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new prevention methods that lower urinary oxalate, including possible microbiome‑based therapies to reduce stone risk.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work shows Oxalobacter formigenes can reduce urinary oxalate in healthy volunteers, but its ability to colonize and lower oxalate in stone formers is not yet proven.
Where this research is happening
Birmingham, United States
- University of Alabama at Birmingham — Birmingham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fargue, Sonia — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Fargue, Sonia
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.