Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center received a $767,831 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 April 20, 2026, with a completion date of February 28, 2030. This award funds research titled "Food as Medicine to Reduce CKD Burden in Health Disparity Populations (FAME to Reduce CKD)," which extends the institution's prior foundational work on culinary medicine interventions for chronic kidney disease (CKD) prevention and management.

The research project evaluates the effectiveness of community-based culinary medicine cooking interventions combined with base-producing fruits and vegetables in reducing CKD burden among health disparity populations, particularly African Americans and Hispanic persons with lower socioeconomic status. Building on prior findings demonstrating a 31% reduction in urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio among participants receiving culinary medicine instruction plus dietary intervention, this R01-funded study will translate evidence-based dietary approaches into practical, community-accessible interventions designed to improve kidney function preservation and reduce cardiovascular disease risk in underserved populations.