Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) awarded The Washington University $766,951 under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847) on April 1, 2026, with completion scheduled for February 28, 2031. This Project Grant supports research to develop and validate advanced imaging biomarkers for evaluating high-risk deceased donor kidneys intended for transplantation. The research addresses a critical clinical need, as approximately 2,500 procured kidneys are discarded annually due to quality concerns identified through limited biopsies or high Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) scores. The project will utilize three-dimensional multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) combined with statistical classification and machine learning to detect whole kidney pathology in discarded human kidneys from donors with KDPI scores exceeding 85 or age greater than 60 years, thereby potentially increasing the availability of viable kidney allografts.

The research deliverables encompass the identification and validation of predictive imaging features through site-directed tissue biopsies correlated with histopathologic assessments for interstitial fibrosis, glomerulosclerosis, vascular sclerosis, and tubular atrophy. The project will establish a pig model to predict transplantation outcomes based on validated imaging features, transitioning from human kidney analysis to preclinical modeling. These research outputs are intended to provide transplant clinicians with improved accuracy and precision in assessing kidney quality, ultimately reducing inappropriate kidney discard rates and expanding the donor pool for life-saving kidney transplantations.