Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) awarded Stanford University a Project Grant of $138,272 (awarded April 1, 2026, with completion by March 31, 2031) under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847) to investigate benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) through targeted research on bone morphogenetic protein 5 (BMP5) and related growth factors. The project will generate scientific knowledge and research capacity focused on elucidating the molecular mechanisms driving BPH, a condition affecting a significant male population with an estimated annual economic burden exceeding $4 billion.

The award will produce research outputs and investigator training across three primary areas: (1) hands-on training in spatial transcriptomic technology using patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) to identify BMP5-mediated cellular changes; (2) development of an in vitro spheroid model to test therapeutic growth factor combinations for BPH growth modulation; and (3) further characterization of PDX models for preclinical testing of BMP5 inhibitors. The research will test the hypothesis that BMP5 inhibition suppresses epithelial proliferation and survival, thereby offering a targeted therapeutic approach to BPH management. The project is conducted at Stanford University's Division of Benign Urology in Palo Alto, California, with support from an advisory team specializing in spatial RNA sequencing, three-dimensional culture models, and BPH pathology.