Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Inc. (BIDMC) received a $739,141 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 on April 22, 2026, with a completion date of March 31, 2031. The research investigates the role of adiponectin signaling in regulating bladder function and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), with particular focus on the molecular mechanisms linking obesity and metabolic syndrome to LUTS. The project will deliver original biomedical research findings through two primary research aims: determining the distinct roles of adipocyte-secreted and smooth muscle-autocrine adiponectin in bladder function through creation of adipose-specific and smooth muscle-specific adiponectin knockout models, and characterizing how dysregulation of adiponectin signaling constitutes a pathway leading to LUTS in obesity and metabolic syndrome conditions.

The deliverables from this NIDDK-funded research initiative will include peer-reviewed scientific publications, experimental data on bladder smooth muscle contractile function and cell phenotype regulation, and characterization of plasma adiponectin levels and molecular pathway changes relevant to urologic disease mechanisms. These research outputs are expected to advance scientific understanding of obesity-related urologic dysfunction and potentially identify novel therapeutic targets for treating lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with metabolic disorders.