Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Missouri System received a $588,892 project grant 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), awarded February 5, 2026, with completion targeted for November 30, 2029. This research initiative, conducted in Columbia, Missouri, focuses on elucidating the regulation and pathophysiological role of voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels in renal vascular smooth muscle cells and their contribution to hypoperfusion in neonatal ischemic acute kidney injury.

The project delivers fundamental biomedical research aimed at improving understanding of disease mechanisms underlying kidney dysfunction in neonates. Specifically, the research examines Nav1.5 channel function in the renal preglomerular microvasculature, the spatial relationship between Nav channels and sodium-calcium exchangers, and the signaling pathways through which nitric oxide regulates Nav channel expression. The work utilizes neonatal pig renal vascular preparations and cellular models to investigate how hypoxia/reoxygenation stress activates vascular contraction mechanisms and to identify potential therapeutic targets for preventing ischemic acute kidney injury in newborns. Findings are expected to advance prevention and treatment strategies for kidney diseases, consistent with the NIDDK program's mission to support basic and clinical research improving outcomes for kidney disease patients.