Understanding how kidney-like blood flow may cause amyloid buildup
Official title: Mimicking kidney flow shear to investigate systemic amyloidosis
Funded at Upstate Medical University · NIH-11408614 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research project uses tiny blood-flow devices to study how certain proteins misfold and form amyloid deposits in organs like the kidney and heart.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Upstate Medical University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Syracuse, United States) |
| Project start | September 11, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $600,864 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK143260-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11408614 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients with a diagnosed type of systemic amyloidosis or healthy individuals who can donate samples or data for related analyses.
✕Less likely to help
Direct patient benefit is unlikely for individuals without systemic amyloidosis or related research participation opportunities.
What this research studies
This project uses microfluidic devices that mimic the branching structure of kidney blood vessels to expose proteins linked to systemic amyloidosis to realistic physical stresses. By watching how immunoglobulin light chains, transthyretin, and LECT2 unfold and aggregate under these conditions, researchers hope to identify key factors that drive disease. They will apply cryo-EM, fluorescence, and other biophysical methods to observe misfolding and fibril formation in a controlled lab setting. The goal is to uncover molecular mechanisms that could inform future therapies or diagnostics for patients affected by systemic amyloidosis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to better understanding of how amyloid diseases develop, guiding the design of targeted treatments or early diagnostics.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies have linked mechanical forces and protein unfolding to amyloid formation, but this project explores a novel kidney-mimicking flow system.
Where this research is happening
-
Upstate Medical University
Syracuse, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Loh, Stewart N — Upstate Medical University
- Study coordinator: Loh, Stewart N
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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.