NIH-funded research R01 grant

Using advanced computer methods to understand kidney diseases

Official title: SCH: Graph-based Spatial Transcriptomics Computational Methods in Kidney Diseases

Funded at Indiana University Indianapolis · NIH-11124641 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This project is creating new computer tools to better understand how kidney diseases like Chronic Kidney Disease and Acute Kidney Injury develop.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionIndiana University Indianapolis
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Indianapolis, United States)
Project startJuly 15, 2023
Project endMay 31, 2027
Funding year2025
Award (this year)$286,617
NIH project number5R01DK138504-03
Project IDNIH-11124641 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

This foundational work is for patients with Chronic Kidney Disease or Acute Kidney Injury, as it aims to improve our understanding of these conditions.

Less likely to help

Patients not affected by kidney diseases would not directly benefit from this specific research.

What this research studies

We are developing advanced computer programs, using artificial intelligence, to look closely at kidney tissue. These programs will help us identify different cell types and their unique characteristics within the kidney, even when they are very close together. By understanding these tiny details, we hope to learn more about how kidney diseases start and progress. Our goal is to uncover mechanisms that could help prevent acute kidney injury from turning into chronic kidney disease.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a deeper understanding of kidney disease development, potentially paving the way for new ways to prevent or treat conditions like Chronic Kidney Disease and Acute Kidney Injury.

How similar studies have gone: While spatial transcriptomics is an emerging field, this project proposes novel AI-based computational methods to address specific challenges in kidney disease analysis.

Where this research is happening

  • Indiana University Indianapolis
    Indianapolis, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Wang, Juexin — Indiana University Indianapolis
  • Study coordinator: Wang, Juexin

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

  • Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Cause in Agricultural Communities

    A wide study to find what causes a serious kidney disease that affects workers in farming areas, by looking at people in high-risk regions.

    NIH research Research Triangle Institute · Research Triangle Park, United States · NIH-11526674

  • Ubiquitin D as a potential target to help NASH, kidney disease, and liver cancer

    A new approach targets a protein called UBD to help people with fatty liver disease, kidney disease, and liver cancer that can arise from liver disease.

    NIH research Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute · La Jolla, United States · NIH-11365217

  • Metabolic Boost to Kidney Health in ADPKD

    A Johns Hopkins-led study is exploring how fueling kidney cells with fats and FGF21 signals could slow kidney disease in adults with ADPKD.

    NIH research Johns Hopkins University · Baltimore, United States · NIH-11365093

  • Graph-based spatial transcriptomics AI methods to understand kidney diseases

    Aims to create AI-powered tools to map where kidney cells are and how they communicate, helping people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) or acute kidney injury (AKI).

    NIH research Indiana University Indianapolis · Indianapolis, United States · NIH-11365041

  • How APOL1 gene changes can lead to kidney damage

    Researchers are exploring how APOL1 gene changes found mainly in people of African ancestry can harm kidney cells and contribute to certain non-diabetic chronic kidney diseases.

    NIH research Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru · Cleveland, United States · NIH-11252568

  • Understanding Ubiquitin D for Liver and Kidney Diseases

    This project looks at a protein called Ubiquitin D to find new ways to help people with liver conditions like NASH and HCC, and also chronic kidney disease.

    NIH research Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute · La Jolla, United States · NIH-11176365

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.