Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) awarded a Project Grant of $193,075 to The Regents of the University of Colorado (University of Colorado-Denver) on February 1, 2026, under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847). This award supports a career development and research initiative entitled "SMART-2D: Study of Montelukast's Effects on Renal and Cardiovascular Health in Adolescents and Young Adults with Type 2 Diabetes." The project extends through November 30, 2030, and is being conducted in Aurora, Colorado.

The grant funds Dr. Angelina Dixon's research and professional development program as she transitions to faculty status in the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. The award supports investigator-initiated clinical and translational research addressing diabetic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease in adolescents and young adults with Type 2 Diabetes, combined with structured career development activities including coursework, grant writing training, mentorship, and national scientific meeting presentations. The research environment includes a multidisciplinary mentoring team with expertise in pediatric endocrinology, cysteinyl leukotrienes, intrarenal hemodynamic function, and biostatistics. The Division provides protected research time, equipment, and resources necessary to support the K23 award mechanism and facilitate the investigator's progression toward research independence.