Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Washington received a $192,763 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), awarded March 1, 2026, with completion targeted for November 30, 2030. The grant funds a prospective nested cohort study investigating the mechanisms of kidney dysfunction in cirrhosis patients through application of novel imaging techniques and transcriptomic analysis. The research will recruit 140 cirrhosis patients with preserved estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and employ multi-modal imaging, longitudinal data collection, biosample collection, and gene expression profiling to identify novel pathways of kidney injury and potential therapeutic targets.

The grant supports research designed to advance understanding of proximal kidney tubule injury in cirrhosis—an early target of kidney dysfunction that may not be detected by conventional glomerular filtration markers. The study will investigate how the ischemic and toxic-metabolic environment in cirrhosis affects kidney cellular energy metabolism and downstream tubular secretory clearance and reabsorption functions. Deliverables include characterization of novel biomarkers and assessment mechanisms for kidney dysfunction beyond standard clinical measures, with findings intended to inform development of more effective therapeutic interventions for cirrhosis-related kidney disease.