Translational Genomics in Gout: Linking GWAS Signals to Mechanisms
Official title: Translational genomics in gout: From GWAS signal to mechanism
Funded at University of Alabama at Birmingham · NIH-11412953 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to understand why some people with high uric acid develop gout by connecting genetic clues to the biology of joint inflammation.
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 start | September 21, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $546,581 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR081859-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11412953 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with gout risk or active gout who may contribute genetic samples or clinical data.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without hyperuricemia or gout are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project uses human data from adults with gout risk to explore how inherited genes influence the body’s immune response to urate crystals. Researchers will combine large genetic findings with cellular and epigenetic analyses to map how trained immunity and CHIP pathways may drive gout flares. The work plans to translate these insights into clearer targets for therapies and better ways to predict who is at risk. It involves collaboration with clinicians and biobank samples to connect genetic signals with actual disease processes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to better prediction, prevention, and new treatment targets for gout and its cardiometabolic connections.
How similar studies have gone: GWAS in gout have identified many loci; this study builds on those findings to move toward mechanism.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Merriman, Tony R — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Merriman, Tony R
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Treat-to-Target Urate in Gout: A New Approach for Better Pain and Health
A large clinical trial tests whether aiming for a specific uric acid level in gout patients improves symptoms and health outcomes compared with avoiding symptoms.
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Genetic clues to gout flares through cell gene activity in blood and joint fluid
Researchers will study how genes turn on or off in immune cells from blood and joint fluid during gout flares to understand why flares happen.
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Uric acid skin sensor to guide gout treatment and diet
A skin patch that measures uric acid in sweat is being tested to help people with gout manage their diet and medications better.
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Wearable skin patch that tracks uric acid and metabolites for people with gout
A wearable skin patch will measure uric acid and other metabolites around meals to help people with gout make better diet and medication choices.
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Gout and Kidney Disease: How gout changes as kidney disease gets worse and after kidney transplant
This project follows people with gout as their kidney disease progresses toward dialysis or transplant, using national kidney data to understand how often gout flares happen and how care needs change.
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SGLT2 inhibitors for gout care in adults with diabetes
A randomized trial is testing whether an SGLT2 inhibitor can help reduce gout flares and improve heart and kidney health in adults with type 2 diabetes.
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.