Using platelet-mitochondria to treat kidney injury
Official title: Platelet-mitochondria transplantation to treat mitochondrial dysfunction in acute kidney injury
Funded at Temple Univ of the Commonwealth · NIH-11085302 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a new way to help people with acute kidney injury by using platelets to deliver tiny energy factories called mitochondria directly to the damaged kidney cells, with the hope of preventing the injury from getting worse.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Temple Univ of the Commonwealth NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | April 4, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $311,150 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK135470-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11085302 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are hospitalized patients who are experiencing acute kidney injury.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with chronic kidney disease or those who are not currently hospitalized may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates a novel approach to treat acute kidney injury (AKI) by using platelets to deliver mitochondria directly to damaged kidney cells. The principal investigator, with expertise in platelet structure, collaborates with specialists in kidney disease and mitochondrial function to explore this innovative therapy. The goal is to halt the progression of AKI to more severe conditions like end-stage renal disease, which currently has no effective pharmacological treatments. By focusing on the cellular mechanisms involved in kidney injury, this research aims to provide a new therapeutic strategy for affected patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve kidney function recovery and reduce the risk of progression to chronic kidney disease in patients with acute kidney injury.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of using mitochondria transplantation is innovative, similar strategies in other contexts have shown promise, suggesting potential for success in this area as well.
Where this research is happening
-
Temple Univ of the Commonwealth
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bouchareb, Rihab — Temple Univ of the Commonwealth
- Study coordinator: Bouchareb, Rihab
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
SEAK Alliance: Improving Care for AKI Patients in the Southeast
A national, patient-centered effort to improve post-hospital care for people who had acute kidney injury in the Southeast.
-
AKI-related delirium after heart surgery
This grant funds research to understand why some people develop delirium after heart surgery when they also have acute kidney injury.
-
Better ways to identify types of sudden kidney injury in U.S. Veterans
Researchers are looking for genetic and health patterns that define different types of sudden severe kidney injury in Veterans to help guide future care.
-
Neuroimmune control of kidney injury using noninvasive ultrasound
A new approach uses targeted ultrasound to gently stimulate nerves and immune signals to help the kidney recover after injury.
-
Structure-based approach to prevent kidney injury from polymyxin use
Aims to block how polymyxin damages the kidney so it can be used more safely to treat hard-to-kill infections.
-
Using smart computer predictions to prevent kidney injury after heart surgery
A machine-learning approach uses routinely collected hospital data to predict who might develop acute kidney injury after heart surgery, so clinicians can act early.
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.