Real-time monitoring of waste and small molecules in kidney disease
Official title: Comprehensive, Real-Time Monitoring of the Accumulation and Clearance of Small Molecules in Kidney Disease
Funded at University of California Santa Barbara · NIH-11332548 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is building small, implantable sensors to continuously measure waste molecules like creatinine and urea for people with kidney disease or kidney failure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Santa Barbara NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Santa Barbara, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $655,999 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK137421-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11332548 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people with acute kidney injury, those receiving or planning to receive dialysis, or patients with advanced chronic kidney disease who need close monitoring.
✕Less likely to help
People without kidney disease or whose care does not require monitoring blood creatinine or urea (for example, stable early-stage CKD managed without frequent lab checks) may not benefit from this technology.
What this research studies
If I have kidney disease, this project aims to use tiny electrochemical aptamer-based (EAB) sensors placed under the skin to measure creatinine and urea continuously in my blood. The team brings together experts in sensor chemistry, aptamer selection, and nephrology to make the sensors accurate and safe for use in the body. The sensors would provide real-time readings to speed diagnosis of acute kidney injury and to personalize how renal replacement therapy (dialysis) is delivered. Early work will focus on device development and calibration, followed by clinical testing with patients receiving or at risk for renal replacement therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these sensors could enable earlier detection of worsening kidney function and more precise, personalized dialysis so patients get treatment faster and with fewer complications.
How similar studies have gone: Continuous glucose monitors demonstrate that wearable molecular sensing can transform care, and the team has previously developed EAB sensors in the lab, but continuous human monitoring of creatinine and urea is a novel application.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kippin, Tod Edward — University of California Santa Barbara
- Study coordinator: Kippin, Tod Edward
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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.