Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) awarded Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai a Project Grant of $656,180 under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847) on March 16, 2026, with a completion date of February 28, 2031. This award supports biomedical research focused on deciphering the genetic, functional, and therapeutic roles of Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells 2 (TREM2) in Diabetic Kidney Disease (DKD). The research addresses a critical clinical gap, as DKD remains the leading cause of chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease worldwide, with current therapies inadequately addressing key disease drivers including lipid-driven inflammation, immune dysregulation, and fibrosis.

The funded research initiative comprises three synergistic aims: (1) dissecting the functional and disease-modifying consequences of the TREM2 R47H mutation on macrophage function and DKD progression using genetic models and lipid-stressed macrophage assays; (2) defining molecular mechanisms underlying soluble TREM2 (sTREM2) cleavage, its functional role in macrophage-tubule crosstalk, and its utility as a biomarker for disease progression and therapeutic response; and (3) exploring the therapeutic potential of TREM2 activation through a novel agonist antibody to restore protective macrophage function. The research will be conducted at the institution's location in New York, New York, and is anticipated to generate foundational knowledge, biomarkers, and potential therapeutic approaches to improve DKD outcomes.