Understanding how CKD worsens leg artery disease at the cellular level
Official title: Molecular mechanisms regulating peripheral arterial disease pathobiology in chronic kidney disease
Funded at University of Florida · NIH-11361100 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores why people with chronic kidney disease have faster, more severe peripheral artery disease and how specific cellular pathways contribute to worse blood flow and limb risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2019 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $767,195 |
| NIH project number | 2R01HL149704-06A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11361100 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are adults with PAD and CKD who may be candidates for future targeted therapies based on the study’s findings.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without PAD or CKD or those not aligned with future translational aims may not benefit.
What this research studies
If you have PAD and CKD, this research looks at the body’s muscle and blood vessel cells to see how a toxin-activated receptor changes metabolism and blood vessel growth. The scientists will use advanced genetic tools to switch off a key gene (PDK4) in muscle and blood vessels and test therapies that reverse its effects. The goal is to identify new targets that could reduce pain, improve walking, and lower amputation risk for people with PAD and CKD. This work builds on prior findings about how CKD toxins drive harmful changes in the muscle and vessels and aims to translate those insights toward better treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new therapies that improve limb blood flow and function for people with PAD and CKD.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that CKD-related toxins activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor and worsen ischemic pathology, supporting potential translational impact.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Florida
Gainesville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ryan, Terence E — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Ryan, Terence E
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how kidney disease affects blood flow in the legs
This study is looking at how chronic kidney disease might make symptoms of peripheral artery disease worse, and it aims to find new ways to help patients feel better and improve their blood flow.
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Personalized CKD-MBD care using systems biology and AI
A patient-facing program aims to tailor mineral-balance therapy for people with chronic kidney disease by using a computer model and smart decision rules to predict who will respond best to treatments.
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Mitigating DKA in people with type 1 diabetes and kidney disease using SGLT1/2 inhibitors
This project tests a new way to prevent dangerous diabetic ketoacidosis in people with type 1 diabetes and chronic kidney disease who are using SGLT inhibitors, by tracking ketones in real time and combining glucose-keton data for safer therapy.
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Chronic Kidney Disease in Children: following young people as they grow up with CKD
A long-term study in kids with chronic kidney disease tracks kidney function and heart health as they transition into adulthood.
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Chronic Kidney Disease in Children follow-up study
A long-term study that follows kids with kidney disease as they grow into young adults, collecting health data from home and official records.
-
Malaria-related kidney injury and its link to chronic kidney disease in children
This grant looks at why some children who have malaria develop kidney injury and later chronic kidney disease, focusing on how severe malaria affects the kidneys over time.
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.