Understanding injured kidney cells to protect kidney health
Official title: DCLK1 isoform switching and proximal tubule injury in kidney disease
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11426830 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant looks at a special type of damaged kidney cell and how it contributes to chronic kidney disease, with the aim of finding ways to protect kidney function.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $691,758 |
| NIH project number | 1R01DK148464-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11426830 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with chronic kidney disease or aging-related kidney injury whose cells may resemble PT_VCAM1.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals without kidney disease are unlikely to directly benefit from this study.
What this research studies
Researchers will study injured proximal tubule cells in the kidney using single-cell sequencing and new analysis methods to understand how these cells become pro-inflammatory and contribute to disease. They focus on a cell type called PT_VCAM1 that appears more in aging and CKD and may release biomarkers and drive damage. The project also explores how DNA damage relates to the failure of repair and how TNF and apoptosis pathways could be targeted to limit inflammation and fibrosis. The work includes advanced computational algorithms to interpret complex cellular data from human and animal kidney samples. If successful, this could pave the way for therapies that reduce kidney injury and progression to end-stage disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding and targeting these injured cells could lead to treatments that slow CKD progression and protect kidney function.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work using single-cell approaches has identified PT_VCAM1-like cells and linked inflammation to CKD progression, suggesting potential for translation.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wilson, Parker C. — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Wilson, Parker C.
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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.