Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) awarded The Leland Stanford Junior University a $721,022 Project Grant on February 15, 2026, under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847) to investigate the consequences and mitigation strategies for hyperthermia in industrial work environments. The research addresses a critical public health gap regarding the relationship between chronic heat stress exposure and kidney injury among at-risk worker populations, including outdoor workers (farm workers, construction workers, and firefighters) and indoor industrial workers (warehouse workers, shipyard welders, and food truck operators). The project will generate research products through two primary research aims: development of non-invasive measures of heat stress using physiological monitoring and biomarkers identified through controlled climactic chamber experiments in working-age adults, and assessment of active cooling interventions implemented in a case-crossover randomized controlled trial design at actual work sites involving 72 workers. These efforts will produce validated assessment tools and evidence-based mitigation strategies to reduce heat-related kidney injury and organ damage in occupational settings.

The award period extends through December 31, 2029, and research will be conducted at Stanford University's location in Stanford, California, with focus on quantifying core temperature change rates and kidney injury markers as primary outcomes.