Summary

Vanderbilt University received a $118,875 Project Grant award 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), with an award date of May 14, 2026 and completion deadline of March 31, 2028. The grant supports research investigating the metabolic mechanisms underlying acute kidney injury (AKI) in obese populations. The research will examine how obesity impairs metabolic plasticity in the kidney's proximal tubules, specifically analyzing metabolic flux responses to ischemic injury through in vivo studies that expose kidney tissue to varying glucose conditions and quantify metabolic pathway activity including gluconeogenesis, oxidative metabolism, and glycolysis. The project will also evaluate whether pharmacological interventions that enhance NAD+ supply can restore metabolic flexibility to the renal cortex and mitigate injury progression.

This R03 (exploratory research) award supports basic biomedical research aimed at elucidating disease mechanisms underlying the intersection of metabolic diseases, kidney dysfunction, and chronic kidney disease development. The research addresses a critical knowledge gap regarding why insulin-resistant conditions sensitize kidneys to injury, with potential implications for developing therapeutic strategies to prevent or reduce acute and chronic kidney disease in obese and metabolically compromised populations.