Project Grant R01DK143964

Grant Award Summary

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center received an $808,304 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 May 21, 2026, with a completion date of February 28, 2030. The research project investigates the link between extracellular vesicle-associated inflammation in obesity and sepsis outcomes, combining basic molecular research with translational applications to improve understanding of how obesity-related metabolic stress contributes to poor sepsis outcomes in patients.

The funded research will deliver scientific products including: (1) characterization of upstream regulatory pathways that confer pro-inflammatory properties to liver-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) and evaluation of their impact on sepsis outcomes using preclinical models; and (2) identification of key molecular mediators in macrophages that drive sEV-induced inflammatory responses. The project leverages the awardee institution's unique research capabilities, including mouse models, human sEV samples, and human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived systems, to bridge basic mechanistic research with clinical implications for obese pediatric and adult patient populations at heightened risk for sepsis-related complications.