# Biomedical Research Core 1 - Biomarkers, Biomaterials, and Cellular Models Core

> **NIH NIH U54** · UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEDICAL CENTER · 2021 · $195,371

## Abstract

Project Summary – Abstract – BRC1
 The Biomarkers, Biomaterials, and Cellular Models Core is comprised of four laboratories that provide
valuable human biospecimens and core services to internal and external Core users. The PKD Biomarkers
Laboratory maintains a repository of serum, plasma, urine, and urinary exosomes from individuals with early-
stage ADPKD that are being monitored in the Early PKD Observational Cohort (EPOC), a longitudinal clinical
study. The repository also banks samples from at-risk siblings of these ADPKD participants, normal volunteers,
and patients with established ADPKD that come to the PKD clinic at the University of Kansas Hospital. The
current lack of sensitive and specific biomarkers for ADPKD is a major impediment in the development of new
therapies. The Core will assist investigators in the discovery of effective biomarkers for diagnosing and
monitoring the progression of early-stage ADPKD, a critical time before there is reversible damage to the kidneys.
The Core will also perform in-house biomarker analysis of clinic samples to assist PKD investigators on the
evaluation of therapeutic interventions. The PKD Biomaterials Laboratory maintains an established repository of
a broad spectrum of human ADPKD biospecimens, including fixed and frozen cystic tissues, cyst fluids, and
primary cultures of cyst epithelial cells. The Core has been critical for providing ADPKD biospecimens to
academic and industry investigators for the past 14 years. The PKD Cellular Models Laboratory assists
investigators in the use of human primary ADPKD cells, normal human kidney (NHK) cells and immortalized
renal cell lines in carefully controlled in vitro assays. The Core has considerable expertise with in vitro models
for the investigation of pathways involved in cyst epithelial cell proliferation, CFTR-dependent Cl- and fluid
secretion, and in vitro cyst formation. The Core will continue to provide service and training to investigators on
PKD cellular models to investigate mechanisms for cyst growth and for evaluating potential therapeutic
compounds. The PKD Gene Targeting Laboratory assists in the generation of novel PKD reagents through gene-
editing and assists Core users in gene-targeting approaches to test specific hypotheses. The Core will introduce
specific mutations in PKD1 or PKD2 in immortalized cells from human collecting ducts, a prominent site for cyst
formation in ADPKD. This enables investigators to examine the cellular response to a PKD mutation using
isogenic normal and PKD mutant cell lines. The overall goal of the PKD Biomarkers, Biomaterials, and Cellular
Models Core is to provide human ADPKD biospecimens and cellular models to assist investigators in
translational research.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10214614
- **Project number:** 5U54DK126126-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** DARREN P. WALLACE
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $195,371
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-07-15 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10214614

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10214614, Biomedical Research Core 1 - Biomarkers, Biomaterials, and Cellular Models Core (5U54DK126126-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10214614. Licensed CC0.

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