# Harvard Chronic Kidney Disease Research Biopsy Center

> **NIH NIH UH3** · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · 2021 · $300,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects >10% of the adult US population, costs tens of billions of dollars
annually, and can lead to progressive kidney failure, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and early mortality. CKD is
not a single entity but rather a heterogeneous condition with a wide spectrum of underlying causes, pathologic
and clinical manifestations, and rates of progression. Because of the paucity of kidney biopsy samples from
patients with common forms of CKD and the acknowledged limitations of animal models, our understanding of
the pathology and molecular mechanisms of CKD is limited. Deeper understanding of human CKD will require
investigation of kidney tissue from patients with CKD, using rapidly evolving techniques in molecular pathology.
In this proposal we have established a multidisciplinary investigative team and outline plans for a multicenter
CKD recruitment site for the Kidney Precision Medicine Project (KPMP) [RFA-DK-16-026] involving Brigham
and Women’s Hospital, Joslin Diabetes Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Massachusetts
General Hospital. The proposal builds upon an established infrastructure, the Boston Kidney Biopsy
Consortium (BKBC, R01DK093574) that has successfully enrolled, collected biospecimens, and longitudinally
followed > 800 patients undergoing native kidney biopsy at the four institutions. We will share plasma, urine,
DNA, RNA, and archival kidney tissue specimens from the BKBC with the KPMP in order to accelerate
progress in the UG3 phase and beyond. We will also share samples from U01DK104308, a study that collects
intraoperative kidney tissue samples from non-cancer cortex during nephrectomy for research in kidney
fibrosis. For the UG3 phase we propose participating in collaborative discussions to define the scientific
objectives and to address the ethics and safety of kidney biopsy in CKD. Pilot studies in the UG3 phase will
include research biopsies in patients with CKD who do not typically undergo kidney biopsy, and research cores
from patients undergoing clinically indicated biopsies for CKD. In the UH3 phase, we propose expanding the
study to include larger numbers of research biopsies across different stages of CKD. We also propose biopsies
in individuals with longstanding Type 1 diabetes mellitus with no evidence of kidney pathology, in order to
identify molecular underpinnings of protection against diabetic kidney disease. We also outline a proposal for
repeat biopsies in 10 participants with rapid annual loss of estimated GFR (>5 ml/min/year) and in 10
participants with no change in estimated GFR (<1ml/min/year). We are committed to collaborative protocol
development, sharing best practices, and team science to achieve the KPMP’s objectives of advancing
precision medicine to improve the lives of our patients with and at risk for CKD. The proposed research plan,
by improving our understanding of CKD pathophysiology, has the potential to dramatically impact public heal...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10223910
- **Project number:** 5UH3DK114915-05
- **Recipient organization:** BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Sylvia E Rosas
- **Activity code:** UH3 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $300,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-18 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10223910

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10223910, Harvard Chronic Kidney Disease Research Biopsy Center (5UH3DK114915-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10223910. Licensed CC0.

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