NIH-funded research R01 grant

Rapid diagnosis and treatment response in immune therapy-related kidney injury

Official title: Rapid Diagnosis and Treatment Response Phenotyping of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Associated Acute Interstitial Nephritis

Funded at Yale University · NIH-11369158 · Data updated 2026-11-12

A study to find real-time biomarkers to diagnose ICI-related kidney injury and predict whether steroids will work, so patients on cancer immunotherapy get faster, better treatment.

More Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor research and trials

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionYale University
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (New Haven, United States)
Project startAugust 10, 2024
Project endJune 30, 2028
Funding year2026
Award (this year)$1,407,724
NIH project number4R01DK140717-03
Project IDNIH-11369158 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Patients on immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy who develop AKI or kidney injury while receiving treatment.

Less likely to help

Patients without kidney injury or those not on immune checkpoint inhibitors may not benefit from this study.

What this research studies

If you are being treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors for cancer and develop kidney problems, this study tests a biomarker called CXCL9 to help confirm whether the injury is related to the cancer therapy and to predict response to steroids. The researchers will enroll up to 400 participants across three major hospitals, including 100 with ICI-associated nephritis, and track how well kidney function improves with therapy. They will also use advanced proteomics to understand why some patients don’t respond to corticosteroids and to identify better second-line treatments. This work aims to speed diagnosis, tailor treatments, and reduce kidney-related complications for people receiving cancer immunotherapy.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive faster, more accurate diagnoses and more effective treatment plans for kidney injury related to cancer immunotherapy.

How similar studies have gone: Previous work has explored biomarkers for kidney injury, but this project tests a real-time biomarker (CXCL9) specifically for ICI-associated nephritis and treatment response.

Where this research is happening

  • Yale University
    New Haven, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Moledina, Dennis G. — Yale University
  • Study coordinator: Moledina, Dennis G.

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.