Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Massachusetts General Hospital received a $110,865 Project Grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847), effective April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2031. The award funds investigator-initiated research examining c-kit receptor signaling in the modulation of kidney collecting duct function. The research aims to elucidate the role of c-kit expression in maintaining normal cellular composition of the collecting duct, with direct implications for understanding how epithelial cell fate is determined in the adult kidney and how disruptions in this process contribute to conditions such as nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

The project utilizes c-kit "sash" mice carrying the WSH/WSH mutation to investigate fundamental mechanisms of kidney physiology, specifically how c-kit receptor signaling influences the balance between principal cells (which reabsorb water and salt) and intercalated cells (which secrete protons). Research outcomes are expected to advance understanding of kidney disease mechanisms and inform potential therapeutic approaches to maintaining proper extracellular volume, electrolyte, and acid-base homeostasis in patients with kidney dysfunction.