Project Grant R01DK142422

Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Miami's Office of Research Administration – School of Medicine received a $715,188 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 February 15, 2026, with a completion date of December 31, 2029. This research initiative focuses on investigating the critical role of endothelial inflammation in arteriovenous (AV) fistula failure, a significant clinical problem affecting end-stage renal disease patients requiring hemodialysis vascular access.

The project delivers fundamental and translational research products designed to elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying postoperative venous stenosis in AV fistulas. Specifically, the research employs integrated molecular and cellular approaches utilizing both in vivo and in vitro models to demonstrate the causality of endothelial type VIII collagen accumulation in fistula remodeling and to identify the transcriptional mechanisms controlling COL8A1 gene activation in endothelial cells following AV anastomosis. The research is expected to generate the first spatial transcriptomic cellular atlas of human stenotic and non-stenotic venous segments obtained during surgical transposition, advancing scientific understanding of vascular access failure mechanisms that contribute to improved prevention and treatment strategies for the hemodialysis population.