Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) awarded The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York $859,998 under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847) on January 23, 2026, with completion targeted for December 31, 2029. This Project Grant funds research aimed at understanding kidney failure in individuals with DiGeorge Syndrome (DGS), a rare microdeletion disorder affecting approximately 1 in 2,000-4,000 live births. The research program will investigate the pathobiological mechanisms underlying DiGeorge-associated kidney disease through integrated genetic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses, combining patient-derived cell lines with analogous mouse models to identify disease drivers and alternative gene splicing mechanisms.

The research deliverables will include comprehensive analysis of genetic variants affecting CRKL (Crk-like protein) expression, high-resolution structural analyses to quantify protein-protein interactions, and identification of molecular signaling pathways that regulate kidney development and function in DGS patients. Through matched human and animal genetic models, this translational research is expected to generate new diagnostic tools and therapeutic screening platforms with personalized medicine applications. The work will be conducted at Columbia University's Health Sciences Division in New York, contributing to the NIDDK's broader mission to improve understanding and treatment of kidney diseases through extramural biomedical research.