Using rhythmic signals to grow replacement kidney tissue
Rhythmic pace-making of nephron induction for renal replacement tissues
This project aims to get human stem cells to make many working kidney units in repeated waves so they could one day be used as replacement tissue for people with kidney failure.
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 ID | NIH-11172599 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will grow kidney organoids from human induced pluripotent stem cells and study how nephrons (the kidney's filtering units) form over time. They will try to recreate the natural rhythmic, repeated waves of nephron formation that occur during fetal kidney development using cell engineering and assembly techniques. By creating self-sustaining niches that produce nephrons repeatedly rather than in a single wave, the team hopes to scale up the number of functional units. Success would advance both the basic understanding of low nephron numbers as a risk factor for disease and the goal of making larger volumes of plumbed kidney tissue for replacement.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with advanced chronic kidney disease or kidney failure who may eventually need replacement tissue or who are interested in contributing cells or samples for stem-cell research would be the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: Patients needing immediate dialysis or emergency transplantation are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic and preclinical research in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable lab-grown kidney tissue for transplantation or other therapies, reducing reliance on dialysis and organ donors.
How similar studies have performed: Researchers have made kidney organoids from human stem cells before, but producing rhythmic, scalable nephron formation that yields large, functional replacement tissue is a novel and largely untested approach.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hughes, Alex — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Hughes, Alex
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 below.