Understanding Kidney Problems After Heart Surgery
Official title: Hepcidin-Ferroportin-Iron Axis in Cardiac Surgery-associated Acute Kidney Injury
Funded at Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-11163318 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at specific blood markers to understand why some people develop kidney problems after heart surgery, hoping to find ways to prevent it.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $767,918 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK126685-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11163318 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research focuses on adult patients who have undergone or will undergo cardiac surgery and are at risk for acute kidney injury.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not undergoing cardiac surgery or are not at risk for acute kidney injury would not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Many people face kidney complications after heart surgery, and currently, there's no reliable way to prevent or treat this. Our team is exploring how certain proteins related to iron in the body might play a key role in these kidney issues. We are carefully examining blood samples and health information from thousands of adult patients who have already had heart surgery. By looking at these markers before and after surgery, we hope to identify early signs that could help predict and ultimately prevent kidney problems.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to predict and prevent acute kidney injury in patients undergoing heart surgery, improving their recovery and long-term health.
How similar studies have gone: This approach builds on existing knowledge from both animal and human studies, suggesting a strong scientific foundation for the proposed mechanisms.
Where this research is happening
-
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Leaf, David Evan — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Leaf, David Evan
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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.