The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases awarded Yale University $623,607 under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847) on August 1, 2026.
The award funds research examining how impaired double-stranded DNA repair induces podocyte senescence and contributes to chronic kidney disease progression. The project integrates advanced genetic models, including podocyte-specific SETD1A knockout mice that develop focal segmental glomerulosclerosis by four months of age, enriched primary podocyte systems, and human kidney biopsy specimens to define molecular mechanisms governing podocyte injury and repair. The first research aim will characterize how impaired DNA repair drives podocyte senescence using injury-induced focal segmental glomerulosclerosis models. The second aim will test whether senescent podocytes promote maladaptive repair through VCAM1 upregulation by employing podocyte-specific VCAM1 knockout models to identify therapeutic targets. Insights from this research may guide development of targeted therapeutics for proteinuric chronic kidney disease, including a proposed glomerulus-targeted nanoparticle-based treatment against VCAM1.
Performance occurs in New Haven, Connecticut. The project period runs from August 1, 2026 through May 31, 2030. The award is classified as a Project Grant, the standard assistance type for individual research projects under the NIDDK extramural research portfolio.