Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Alabama at Birmingham received a $173,232 Project Grant award 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 May 15, 2026, with completion targeted for February 28, 2031. This research initiative investigates renal endothelial cell signaling in sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI) following viral priming, addressing a critical knowledge gap in understanding viral-primed phenotypes of sepsis that result in thrombotic microangiopathy and severe kidney injury.

The funded research will deliver scientific knowledge and experimental findings regarding how renal endothelial cells respond to viral double-stranded RNA analogs (polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid) and whether this activation directly causes downstream tubular epithelial cell injury. The project's objectives include characterizing the type 1 interferon response induced by viral priming and elucidating the mechanisms by which systemic viral exposure primes the kidney for exaggerated injury following bacterial sepsis, potentially informing development of disease-modifying therapeuties for this high-mortality condition. Results will contribute to NIDDK's programmatic mission of advancing understanding of kidney disease mechanisms through basic and clinical biomedical research.