Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) awarded the Regents of the University of Minnesota a Project Grant totaling $161,275 under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847), effective June 1, 2026, through May 31, 2030. The research initiative investigates the impact of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) on calcium regulatory pathways in kidney stone formers, utilizing a multi-omics approach within a natural canine model of calcium oxalate urolithiasis. The project addresses a critical public health gap by examining the relationship between the microbiome, microbial metabolites, and calcium homeostasis—factors that remain poorly understood despite calcium imbalance being the most common metabolic abnormality underlying calcium oxalate stone formation.

The deliverables under this award include research findings on SCFA deficiencies in patients with calcium oxalate urolithiasis and mechanistic insights into how SCFA supplementation may reduce renal crystallization and influence urinary oxalate levels and kidney inflammation. By leveraging the University of Minnesota's research capabilities and facilities in Lauderdale, Minnesota, the project is expected to generate translational scientific knowledge that could inform novel, accessible stone prevention strategies and contribute to reducing the escalating prevalence of kidney stone disease, which has more than doubled over the past four decades.